Anthony Stolarz hasn’t played since Nov. 11. Joseph Woll played two periods against Carolina on Dec. 4 before suffering his fourth injury over the past three years.
It’s definitely been a whirlwind season for the Maple Leafs. From the team’s struggles with Stolarz early on, to the short-lived resurgence under Woll – and now, another run out of Hildeby. Goaltending is an extremely fickle position, and no team understands that as much as the Maple Leafs right now. Toronto’s up-and-down first half has been well-documented. But after helping seal the deal against Carolina, an excellent performance against Montreal, and now a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, Hildeby has done exactly what has been needed from him this year.
Clearly, Hildeby is playing with confidence. He’s seeing pucks well, using his big frame to take angles away better than he did when he first tasted the NHL last year.
If you’ve watched him over the past few years, you’ll notice how much quicker he has gotten, too. Many people have noticed how high he keeps his stick, too: some modern-day goaltenders do that to improve mobility (often relaxing their back muscles a bit) while letting their pads handle the bottom half of the ice. At 6-foot-7, Hildeby has that covered. It also helps keep the hands active, allowing for better upper-body movement when going from post to post.
Dennis Hildeby is up to a .936 save percentage and leads all goalies in the NHL in goals saved above expected per 60 this season.
Incredible start to season for 24-year-old rookie.
Hildeby’s hot streak is a small sample size, sure. But remember when Martin Jones won his first three games with Toronto in 2023-24? Or that four-game run in early January? Those are the nights that can matter in the standings down the line. Toronto hasn’t always had goaltending they could rely on. With Hildeby, they just needed above average. They’re getting much more than that right now.
Toronto’s offense did a lot of the heavy lifting in their wins against Pittsburgh, Florida and Carolina. The past two games, though, Hildeby has had their back, securing three points against division rivals to keep their five-game point streak alive. For example, Toronto needed 12 minutes to register its first shot on goal in the third period. Hildeby wasn’t overly busy with six shots in that span, but he had to make a couple of high-danger chances that he ultimately turned away with ease.
If Hildeby can continue pulling off performances like that, he’ll be in good shape – both now, and in the long-term future. Maybe the team will need to have some uncomfortable conversations about their goaltenders once both Stolarz and Hildeby are back.