Today, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced the signing of goaltender Dennis Hildeby to a three-year contract extension. The extension is two-way for the first two years of the deal and a one-way NHL deal for 2027-28. While the Maple Leafs plan for Hildeby to be a major part of their net moving forward, his place right now is with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, where he has been a regular starter for the past two seasons.
A native of Jarfalla, Sweden, Hildeby was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 by the Maple Leafs, when he was 20 years old. In the year prior to his draft, he put up a .931 save percentage and an impressive 1.93 goals-against average in seven games with Farjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), as well as another .931 and a 2.80 goals-against average in twelve games with Farjestad BK’s junior affiliate.
Shortly after his draft in 2022, Hildeby signed an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. The following season, he would play two games as a Marlie (one loss and one no-decision) as well as 21 games with Farjestad BK on loan from Toronto. In Farjestad, he continued his strong Swedish league performance from the season prior, earning a 2.26 GAA and .918 SV% in 21 games. He would not return to Sweden after that season.
Over the past two years, he has proven himself as a quality starter for the Marlies, able to keep up with more experienced goaltenders such as Matt Murray with relative ease. Last season, while Murray was ahead of him statistically, Hildeby started the most games of any Marlie goalie. In 73 AHL regular-season games, he has put up a 2.53 GAA and .909 save percentage, both very solid outings from a young goaltender – Hildeby turned 24 this August, which is still quite early on the development curve for the position.
Most goaltenders who become NHL mainstays or even stars rarely debut before 23 or 24. Hildeby’s predecessor, Joseph Woll, became a regular NHL goaltender in the 2023-24 season at the age of 25, after four seasons as one of the Marlies’ starters. Despite a slight setback from his upward trajectory last season, where his numbers regressed to a .908 save percentage and 2.55 GAA while leading the Marlies in starts, Hildeby still projects well on his way to move up from the Marlies within the duration of this contract.
Even if he stagnates, his goaltending performance for the Marlies is admirable and puts them in a solid position to win every night. Hildeby is a well-positioned goaltender who makes excellent use of his height (he’s listed at 6’7”, a lot of goaltender) and his feet to get in the way of pucks. Beside his size, his main strength is in his calm, controlled attitude and level head – he rarely panics or gets too cute with the puck.
Ultimately, this signing both entrenches the next couple years’ worth of starters for the Marlies and promises the Maple Leafs a little extra security in net.
ITR 48: Testing…Testing… – Inside The Rink
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