The Toronto Maple Leafs will take another look at Dennis Hildeby in their final pre-season game on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.
In a 1-on-1 interview conducted by TSN’s Darren Dreger, Coach Berube revealed that the plan for the game at Little Caesars Arena will see Hildeby start with James Reimer slated to back him up.
“Hildeby has made a lot of good steps this year, for me, coming into camp from last year. I love the size, the passion he has for the game. He’s a good character kid,” Berube said on Friday.
The response came after Dreger asked about Toronto’s goaltending situation.
'I Haven't Had That Much Fun In A Long Time': James Reimer Reflects On First Maple Leafs Practice in 9 Years And When He May PlayJames Reimer stepped onto the ice in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey for the first time in over nine years on Saturday and the veteran NHL goaltender couldn't stop smiling from ear-to-ear.
With Joseph Woll sidelined, the long-term goaltending picture beyond Stolarz remains unclear. Woll departed the in training camp to tend to a personal matter with no timeline for a return. Given that Anthony Stolarz’s career high in games played is 34, it’s understandable that Berube didn’t sound 100 percent confident of the current situation.
“We’re going to have to see on that but this is what we’ve got,” Berube said.
Stolarz has been reliable in his pre-season performance, most recently making 40 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Red Wings on Thursday. The goaltender signed a four-year, $15 million contract earlier this week.
How Anthony Stolarz Got Security From The Maple Leafs Beyond The PaycheckThe Toronto Maple Leafs finalized a tidy piece of business on Sunday when they put pen to paper on a new four-year, $15 million contract extension for goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The Maple Leafs had expressed optimism that they would get a deal done, as the goaltender wanted everything squared away before the end of the regular season.
The Leafs brought veteran Reimer in on a professional tryout, but the team's plan for the 37-year-old veteran is becoming increasingly opaque as they give Hildeby the chance to prove he’s ready for regular reps as a backup at the NHL level. Berube said Reimer will back up, suggesting Reimer may not see any pucks against one of the teams he’s played for in his career.
Hildeby, who was slotted as Toronto’s third goaltender, signed a new three-year deal worth $2.525 million. Through 99:29 of work in the pre-season, he has posted a 1-0-0 record with a .944 save percentage and 1.21 goals-against average. Making his NHL debut in 2024-25, Hildeby posted a 3-3-0 record with a 0.878 save percentage and 3.16 goals-against average. Toronto drafted the 6-foot-7 Swedish netminder in the fourth round (122nd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
'I Got Notice And Liked It Instantly': Why Dennis Hildeby Signed Unique Three-Year Contract With Maple LeafsDennis Hildeby is excited for the upcoming season after signing a rather unique three-year, $2.53 million extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Rest of the lineup?
The Leafs are expected to reveal their game lineup when they take part in a morning skate at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday before traveling to Detroit.
Where to watch?
Maple Leafs fans will be able to stream the game on TSN4 in Canada.
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