The Maple Leafs will likely start either Ilya Samsonov or Dennis Hildeby on Sunday, breaking a seven-game streak for Jones.
The Maple Leafs will likely start either Ilya Samsonov or Dennis Hildeby on Sunday, breaking a seven-game streak for Jones.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have finally reached a point where they will start a different goaltender other than Martin Jones.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that the veteran goaltender will not play on Sunday when the club takes on the Detroit Red Wings in the second half of back-to-back games for the Blue and White.
"That would be overdoing it," Keefe said. "He's played a lot here this week, already. "We're going to need another guy tomorrow, but let's focus on that today."
Jones will make his seventh consecutive start in goal when the Maple Leafs host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The Maple Leafs have been riding the veteran goalie amid goaltending depth issues. After a brief stint with the Toronto Marlies, Ilya Samsonov is up with the Maple Leafs. but the club has been seemingly reluctant to put the struggling goaltender back in the net with an .862 save percentage this season.
The Leaf had called up prospect goaltender Dennis Hildeby before the team's three-game road trip and was seemingly a candidate to get into a game on the tail end of consecutive nights. But Keefe elected to start Jones, instead.
Hildeby was sent back to the Marlies earlier this week and Samsonov backed Jones up in the Maple Leafs' 4-3 overtime loss against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
The 6-foot-7 Hildeby makes 20 saves in an 8-0 shutout against Belleville Senators on Friday. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving took in the game to watch his prospect goaltender.
Joseph Woll, one of Toronto's better-performing goaltenders this season, has been out since Dec. 7 with a high-ankle sprain.
There is no timeline on Woll's return. He returned to the ice to start skating with goalie coach Curtis Sanford earlier this week.
Signed to a one-year, $875,000 contract on August 9, Jones has been sharp for the Leafs this season. He has an 8-3-1 record and his .928 save percentage is second in the NHL among goaltenders who played in at least 13 games this season.
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