With Joseph Woll potentially sidelined and the depth chart testing its limits, the Maple Leafs must decide if Dennis Hildeby is ready for the spotlight or if they need to look elsewhere for immediate help.
It is a less-than-ideal situation for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but unfortunately, it is a familiar one.
Barring a quick recovery from Joseph Woll, the Maple Leafs may have to lean on goaltender Dennis Hildeby in the short term, beginning on Saturday when the club hosts the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
The team is already thin at the position; Anthony Stolarz has not hit the ice for a skating session since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 11. Consequently, the Leafs find themselves in a precarious spot similar to earlier in the season, when Hildeby was forced to start while prospect Artur Akhtyamov served as back-up. The difference now? In that previous scenario, Woll’s return from a conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies following a month-long leave of absense was just around the corner.
In seven appearances this season, Hildeby has made only three starts, meaning he has primarily come on in relief. He acknowledged the difficulty of entering a game mid-play, as he did during the third period of the club’s 5-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“The more you do something, the better it feels. It helps a little bit to learn,” the soft-spoken Hildeby said after the game.
If the Leafs can play as well defensively as they did in front of him on Thursday, Hildeby should be able to carry the load. However, it would be ill-advised not to bring in some help in the short term.
‘We’ll See What Happens’: James Reimer Awaits Word On Future After Pre-Season Return In Maple Leafs Net
DETROIT — James Reimer stepped into a game as a Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender for the first time in over nine years on Saturday in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings in pre-season action.
Giving away an asset for goaltending help doesn’t make a lot of sense at this point. Perhaps the Leafs could reach out to James Reimer to see if a league-minimum deal is viable for the remainder of the regular season, specifically after releasing him from a professional tryout earlier in the year.
Even if Hildeby performs well, relying solely on him could be a gamble, despite his .919 save percentage. Of the three starts he has made, his most recent one—a 7-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins—is the only one that saw him post a save percentage above .900.
Woll left Toronto's win against the Canes on Thursday with an apparent leg injury. An update on his statusis espected on Saturday ahead of the Toronto's home game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Latest stories:
Maple Leafs' Joseph Woll Leaves Game Against Hurricanes After Two Periods With Lower-Body Injury