Emergency recall: Why Dennis Hildeby's .912 SV% makes him the Maple Leafs' best option against Boston
Photo credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs made sure their goaltending was shored up as best it could be in the wake of Anthony Stolarz's injury and called upon the 'Hildebeast' to step in - and given his numbers he should get the start too.
On Monday, Toronto announced they had brought back Hildeby on an emergency basis, meaning essentially that they are counting on him to help out against Boston in case Stolarz's throat injury is still giving him issues.
Hildeby has been solid so far in his short time with the club spent during various callups. He has posted a 5-6-4 record with a 2.90 GAA and .912 SV%.
Why Toronto is taking no chances even after Stolarz's brief hospital stint
Stolarz suffered the injury against the Ottawa Senators during warmup when William Nylander took a practice shot too high and caught him in the neck which could only be described as reckless on Nylander's behalf and frightening on Stolarz's.
He was rushed to hospital to make sure there was no serious damage to his larynx etc, and evaluation showed that he was good enough to be discharged and meet the team which was a very positive sign.
Stolarz meanwhile has not been himself all season. He has an 8-9-3 record with a 3.34 GAA and .894 SV% just after signing a huge extension but injuries have consistently ruined his 2025-26 year.
This is the chance for Toronto to see what Hildeby can offer on a regular basis to end the season, and it gives Stolarz the chance to rest the entirety of the season and get back to where he needs to be - be it with the Maple Leafs or elsewhere.
Dennis Hildeby vs. Joseph Woll: 'The Starter Battle' has begun
All you need now is Michael Buffer to announce things and you've got a bonafide fight.
While nobody is actually expecting tension, when you look at the tale of the tape - you can see how Hildeby could make a case to be the starter down the line:
Dennis Hildeby:
5-6-4, 2.90 GAA, .910 SV% (6'7, 231 pounds)
Joseph Woll:
14-13-6, 3.17 GAA, .904 SV% (6'3, 212 pounds)
While Woll has a better record, Hildeby has the better auxiliary numbers as well as the size and weight advantage.
Much like Stolarz used to become elite, that four inches of height is a huge advantage. You look like a monster in net and for a guy nicknamed 'Hildebeast' it's apropos.
Hildeby has also had a great amount of success against Boston despite a loss. In two games he has a 2.58 GAA and .927 SV%. If the Maple Leafs defence is even somewhat coherent on Tuesday - Hildeby could shine.
But it's a great chance to see if the two can work together towards the end of the season and find some chemistry to build off of and potentially allow them to trade Stolarz down the line.
So give Dennis Hildeby the shot he deserves, not just because he's your goalie of the future, but you save Anthony Stolarz from himself and another potential catastrophic injury.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Florida's A.J. Greer suspension threatens the Maple Leafs' top-5 pick protection
Florida's A.J. Greer suspension threatens the Maple Leafs' top-5 pick protection
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 23|902 ANSWERS Emergency recall: Why Dennis Hildeby's .912 SV% makes him the Maple Leafs' best option against Boston Who needs to start vs. Boston? | ||
| Anthony Stolarz | 154 | 17.1 % |
| Joseph Woll | 107 | 11.9 % |
| Dennis Hildeby | 467 | 51.8 % |
| Leave The Net Empty All Game | 174 | 19.3 % |
| List of polls | ||