Dennis Hildeby just won a Calder Cup but his reaction told a different story

Dennis Hildeby is a Calder Cup winner but his expression would tell you otherwise as his displeasure with being pushed aside was shown in full force.

Although the Toronto Marlies are Calder Cup Champions, Dennis Hildeby wasn't a big factor after Artur Akhtyamov usurped him as the starter after a blistering postseason start. That didn't sit well with the goaltender who looked less than pleased when his teammates swarmed Akhtyamov after being named Playoff MVP.

There's no doubt that Akhtyamov led the way for the Marlies and was critical in making sure that they came away victorious. Finishing with a 14-7-0 record with a 2.22 GAA and .922 SV%, there was little doubt that he's got something special, and his cold-blooded nature is exactly what Toronto's future needs.

Dennis Hildeby's melancholic reaction to Marlies Calder Cup win is a scary sign for Toronto

Though not everyone was ecstatic despite being champions.

Goaltender Dennis Hildeby, who Akhtyamov took over for in the podtseason, was seen a bit somber as his teammates swarmed Akhtyamov after being named Playoff MVP, and he took his sweet time getting to the pile:

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Hildeby's reaction was noticed by eagle-eyed fans, and the fact that he wasn't able to be the hero for the Marlies clearly weighed on him:

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To be fair to Hildeby, it's not like he was bad at all in the playoffs, just had a bad game. He went 1-1-0 with a 2.17 GAA and .921 SV%. His one blemish was giving up one goal on seven shots vs. Laval - and then was pulled and never saw the ice again.

It's a bad sign for Toronto that they have a frustrated goalie who was at one point seen as the future, but has now been relegated to a potential third option who will have to once again fight for minutes and any friction already in the John Chayka era is a red flag.

Dennis Hildeby has a right to be upset and Toronto has to determine whether he's the future or not

He certainly has a reason to be frustrated given that a strong postseason would have all but assured him a spot as Toronto's backup especially with Joseph Woll out of town.

But with the emergence of Akhtyamov and the acquisition of Samuel Ersson, Hildeby isn't guaranteed to be the backup this season, and if he's worried about his spot then the Maple Leafs have to make a decision.

He's signed but has to go through waivers, so if there's a three or even four goaltender fight for two spots on the Maple Leafs roster, it's a matter of whether or not they want to risk losing Hildeby.

Hildeby showed he belonged last year, and while his record wasn't great at 5-7-4, he had a 2.86 GAA and .912 SV% and was the anchor that kept Toronto from being even worse when Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll were hurt.

So it's a Sophie's Choice for John Chayka - either he risks losing Hildeby for nothing and keeps him frustrated with a lack of opportunity - or he trades him for assets and hopes to high heavens he doesn't turn into a superstar.

There's nothing wrong with Hildeby as a goalie and he deserves a shot. The only problem is that Akhtyamov proved that he can be just as good or better, and that bitterness while valid...is going to make life harder for the Maple Leafs going forward.

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