The 33-year-old veteran has posted a .930 save percentage with the Leafs this season.
The 33-year-old veteran has posted a .930 save percentage with the Leafs this season.
IRVINE, Calif. — Martin Jones will make his fourth consecutive start in goal when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday at SAP Center to wrap up their three-game California road trip.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe elected to give Jones starts on back-to-back nights in their victories against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. It was the first time all season Toronto has started the same goaltender on consecutive nights and Keefe likes what he sees.
"I think Jones is in a good place right now and the schedule is in our favour as it relates to keeping him going," Keefe said following the team's practice before boarding a charter flight to San Jose.
Jones has performed well for a goaltender who came to Toronto as the team's third option. With No. 1 goaltending option Joseph Woll out since Dec. 7 with a high-ankle sprain and Ilya Samsonov struggling heavily this season, the Leafs have learned hard into the 33-year-old Jones and elected to start him over rookie call-up Dennis Hildeby in Anaheim, a position routinely reserved for the club's second goaltending option.
Signed to a one-year deal worth $875,000 in August, Jones is 6-3-0 with a .930 save percentage and two shutouts with Toronto.
"I just think Jonesy’s doing really well for us, as much as we are eager to give Hildeby his chance," Keefe said.
The Leafs called Hildeby up from the minors on Monday, one day after waiving Samsonov to send him down to the Marlies and gave him a one-week break as they looked to give the Russian goaltender a "reset".
With the next set of back-to-back games not occurring until Jan. 13 and Jan. 14 at home against the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings, respectively and with the Leafs expected to re-evaluate Samsonov's stint with the Marlies after this road trip, there's a possibility that Hildeby doesn't see the net at all with the Leafs. Especially since the club was reluctant to call him up in the first place.
There is a slight possibility that Hildeby doesn't get in the net at all if the Leafs feel Samsonov is mentally ready to return to the Leafs.
But for now, the Leafs are taking things one day at a time. Hildeby, Toronto's fourth-round selection (122nd overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, took part in a full practice and received length instruction from goaltending coach Curtis Sanford as he continues to get adjusted to NHL-level practices.
"He’s getting better," Keefe said of Hildeby. "At practice Just today it looks like he’s getting comfortable."
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