Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joesph Woll was positioned on the injured reserve (IR) earlier than the workforce’s season opener in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens, and Dennis Hildeby was known as upon to make the journey. With issues about Woll’s damage and his reliability all through his profession, the Maple Leafs will want one other goaltender apart from backup Anthony Stolarz for insurance coverage in internet because the season progresses.
Hildeby will share the web with Stolarz till Woll is wholesome sufficient to return. Suppose he performs properly and Woll can’t keep wholesome or stay as much as efficiency expectations. In that case, might he stay with the massive membership for an prolonged keep? If that’s the case, that might affect the Marlies’ season.
Woll’s Absence Affords Alternative For Hildeby
When studies emerged that Hildeby was travelling with the workforce to Montreal, no particulars have been instantly made out there in regards to the purpose for this transfer. Woll was the projected starter for Wednesday’s sport, however he was dominated out attributable to ‘lower-body tightness’ by Maple Leaf’s head coach Craig Berube. Some of the important query marks coming into the season was the sturdiness of the workforce’s goaltending tandem. Woll and Stolarz are each unproven starters and have battled accidents all through their careers.
Hildeby carried out exceptionally properly for the Maple Leafs in his debut in opposition to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday – the second of a back-to-back after a 1-0 loss to the Canadiens of their opener. It wasn’t a flawless begin, however he made a number of high quality saves and sealed the win within the third interval because the Maple Leafs held off a quick and resilient Devils workforce.
The 23-year-old goalie made a powerful pad save on Dawson Mercer within the first interval after which waited for the motion to unfold because the Maple Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead. Hildeby additionally made a incredible save in opposition to Jack Hughes later within the interval, exhibiting he was greater than prepared for the highlight. He completed the sport with 23 saves.
Woll is predicted to overlook three video games, which suggests he might return in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, October 16. Nonetheless, if Stolarz continues to carry out as he did in opposition to the Canadiens, and Hildeby will get one other alternative and performs in addition to he did, the scenario might change.
Hildeby Exhibits His Progress And Growth Inside The Franchise
Drafted within the fourth spherical (122 total) within the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Hildeby continues to enhance and present his progress as a important piece within the Maple Leafs group. He performed in lots of Swedish leagues, together with the J20 SuperElit, J20 Nationell and HockeyEttan. He completed his final season on mortgage to Farjestad BK within the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and earned an 11-9-0 file with a .918 save share (SV%).
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He then moved to North America and performed three video games for the Marlies, two regular-season video games and one within the playoffs, all forgettable. Nonetheless, in his first full season in 2023-24, he performed 41 video games and completed with a 21-11-7 file, a .913 SV%, a 2.41 goals-against common (GAA) and 4 shutouts. His 21 wins final season have been a file for a Marlies rookie goalie, and he earned a 2024 AHL All-Star Recreation choice.
At 6-foot-7 and 223 kilos, he covers the web properly, and this season, he has improved his potential to make use of his dimension to cowl excessive angles extra successfully. He’s tough to beat down low, and so long as he retains the blade of his stick down, he is excellent at blocking pictures from the underside. Nonetheless, he wants assist monitoring pucks down low by means of site visitors, however the correct goalie coach will help him with this.
How Hildeby Being Known as Up Might Have an effect on The Marlies
If Woll isn’t prepared after the three video games and wishes extra time to get better, the Marlies have Hildeby and Matt Murray as their goalie tandem, and both one may very well be known as up by the massive membership to fill in. In the mean time, included on the Marlies’ 29-player season-opening roster are Artur Akhtyamov and Peksa Vyacheslav, two intriguing goalie prospects who want time to develop.
Murray, who has intensive skilled expertise however underwent main double hip surgical procedure this offseason, will develop into the Marlies’ starter if Hildeby stays with the Maple Leafs. Nonetheless, there are questions on his well being and talent, however Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav have but to make their skilled debuts. If Murray can’t discover his sport, the Marlies must put their belief in two rookies who’re thrilling prospects however have by no means performed a sport in North America.
If Woll recovers rapidly, Hildeby shall be returned to the Marlies, the place he can correctly develop his sport, and Murray is not going to be pressured right into a beginning function coming off main surgical procedure, and whereas he works his technique to being a call-up if wanted or if he performs properly. Nonetheless, this additionally will depend on Woll’s fast restoration. The Marlies are scheduled to open their season in opposition to the San Diego Gulls on Saturday, and Murray is predicted to start out.
Hildeby is the Maple Leaf’s high goaltending prospect, and at 23, his time to show himself is now. He’s coming into the ultimate season of his contract earlier than changing into a restricted free agent this summer time. He’ll take each alternative with the Maple Leafs to show why he deserves to be an everyday on the workforce subsequent season, particularly if Woll can’t keep wholesome.
