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 TSNâ€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. Heâ€s a good character kid,†Berube said on Friday.
The response came after Dreger asked about Torontoâ€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 Play
James 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 Stolarzâ€s career high in games played is 34, itâ€s understandable that Berube didnâ€t sound 100 percent confident of the current situation.
“Weâ€re going to have to see on that but this is what weâ€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 Paycheck
The 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 heâ€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 heâ€s played for in his career.
Hildeby, who was slotted as Torontoâ€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 Leafs
Dennis Hildeby is excited for the upcoming season after signing a rather unique three-year, $2.53 million extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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.
Maple Leafs fans will be able to stream the game on TSN4 in Canada.
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