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The Maple Leafs’ goaltending spotlight has turned to Dennis Hildeby.
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Against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night, the 23-year-old will make his first start in the National Hockey League, Leafs coach Craig Berube confirmed late on Thursday afternoon to media in Newark.
The announcement came after it was speculated during the day that Anthony Stolarz would get his second start in as many nights for Toronto, 24 hours after making 26 saves in a season-opening 1-0 loss in Montreal against the Canadiens. As an unwritten rule, though, the Leafs rarely start the same goalie on back-to-back nights, and doing so with Stolarz might have undermined Hildeby’s confidence to a degree.
With Joseph Woll nursing a lower-body issue, it’s on Stolarz and Hildeby to make it work in net. And with Woll’s history of injuries, it’s a safe bet this won’t be the only occasion this season that he has to bide his time and recover on injured reserve.
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Hildeby had a brief glimpse with the Toronto Marlies two years ago and was sharp for the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate last season, going 21-11-7 and posting a .913 save percentage in 41 games.
The Sweden native was chosen by the Leafs in the fourth round, 122nd overall, in the 2022 NHL draft.
Another lineup change against the Devils, Berube said, will involve inserting winger Bobby McMann and scratching Ryan Reaves.
Former Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, now running the Devils bench, was asked earlier in the day about the possibility of facing Hildeby.
“He had a tremendous season last year,” Keefe said. “He’s a huge guy (6-foot-7, 224 pounds). Tremendous year last year, seems like he has had a good preseason, (but we’re) not too concerned about who is in goal for them.
“We have to protect our own goalie and find a way to get to whoever is in net for them.”
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