Maple Leafs Call Up Emergency Player for Season Opener Against the Canadiens
The Toronto Maple Leafs made an early season call-up to back up goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the season opener, bringing Dennis Hildeby up for insurance.
With questions surrounding Joseph Woll's potential injury, and head coach Craig Berube keeping his cards close to his chest when it came to naming a starter, it was announced earlier that Anthony Stolarz would be starting the season opener against Montreal. So with Woll being out, Toronto needed to call upon an emergency goaltender for insurance.
They did so by calling up Swedish goaltending prospect Dennis Hildeby from the Toronto Marlies to back up Stolarz:
This comes on the heels of the team announcing Woll was dealing with an injury and would not be starting in the season opener:
It's an unfortunate situation for Woll and the Maple Leafs, and the team has been lucky to be able to stockpile goaltending prospects for cases such as this. Calling upon Hildeby as opposed to Matt Murray means the Toronto Maple Leafs want to have a couple of giants in the net (though Murray is no slouch). Hildeby is 6'7, Stolarz is 6'6, and Berube has a game plan:Intimidate, intimidate, intimidate. It's hard to score goals when you have two big and mobile goaltenders in the crease, and Stolarz being called upon already with his bevy of experience can lead to a lot of success for Toronto, especially if he gets on a hot streak.
What does Toronto get with Dennis Hildeby?
Hildeby, for what it's worth has been nothing but stellar for the Maple Leafs affiliate since being drafted in 2022. Quickly able to transition from European hockey to North American, Hildeby went 21-11-7 last season as he broke out with the Marlies, adding a 2.41 GAA and 9.13 SV% to go along with it. Nicknamed the 'Hildebeast', Hildeby is truly a monster in the crease, at 6'7 but moving like he's six inches shorter. He's lanky and able to go post to post easily, meanwhile able to make crucial saves at key points:
It will be Stolarz's game on Wednesday, and Hildeby very well may be sitting on the bench for the entirety, but if he so happens to be called upon, look for the 'Hildebeast' to make an impact right away.
