Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender prospect Dennis Hildeby has quickly become one of the team's most prized assets. Since joining the AHL's Toronto Marlies in October 2023 on a full-time basis, the 22-year-old has established himself as the consensus number-one option, surpassing Keith Petruzzelli and Luke Cavallin.
Hildeby's ascent was highlighted by a stellar 2023-24 campaign in which he set the Marlies’ franchise record for most wins in a single season by a rookie goaltender with 21 victories (21-11-7). His remarkable play earned him an all-star appearance and a call-up to the NHL during the Leafs’ three-game road trip to Southern California in January, following an ankle injury to Joseph Woll and the inconsistent play of now-former Leafs netminder Ilya Samsonov.
In a one-on-one interview with Hildeby Friday, TSN’s Mark Masters discussed the Swede’s most memorable moment from his first trip to California – a part of the NHL lifestyle that he found quite appealing.
“Probably the hotel we stayed at in Anaheim. I've heard it's not a normal place to stay at but that was something I hadn't seen before, so that was a great moment for me,” Hildeby told Masters. “It's a lot of luxury. I had my own apartment with my own balcony. It was insane. It was really nice. It was good weather too.”
If you can recall, Masters previously conducted a one-on-one with the 'Hildebeast' in November of 2023, reminiscing about his role as an emergency backup during the latter part of the playoff series against the Florida Panthers last spring. Reflecting on that experience, Hildeby gave a similar travel-related answer when asked about his most memorable aspect.
“Probably the balcony I had in my own hotel room. It was pretty sick. Biggest one I've seen,” he said.
Lifestyle aside, the 6-foot-7 netminder noted in Friday’s interview that the experience of being with the team, observing their routines, and understanding the high-level expectations was invaluable, especially since the 2023-24 season was his first professional year in North America.
“That was a good experience for sure. I mean, just getting a look at how life is up there. How a normal week full of games looks like. For me, what gets me nervous is when I don't know what to expect,” Hildeby explained. “Coming into last year, I had no clue how a training camp looked or how life in the NHL was, so that was something I thought about a lot before going over and something I was a little anxious about.”
“Just having seen all that and knowing what to expect is a huge relief for whenever a potential next call-up might come,” said Hildeby. “Just knowing what's to come is something that makes me a lot calmer. That's something I for sure bring with me.”
Drafted in the fourth round (122nd overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Hildeby has rapidly climbed the ladder in the Leafs’ system alongside Artur Akhtymamov and Vyacheslav Peksa as the organization’s top goaltending prospects. The team signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract with an average annual value of $843,330 in July 2022, given the potential he brought to the table.
Aside from his impressive 21-11-7 record, Hildeby recorded four shutouts, a 2.41 goals-against average, and a .913 save percentage – making significant strides in his development. After appearing in 41 games, obtaining a heavier workload last season, and having a taste of the NHL, Hildeby is focused on “getting stronger and more powerful in all regards” with the goal to endure another lengthy season and hopefully appear in “a lot of games too”.
With the Leafs' current goaltending rotation of Joseph Woll, Anthony Stolarz, and Matt Murray, Hildeby is expected to continue developing in the AHL for another season before leaping to the NHL. However, he was recently included in The Athletic’s top 20 goaltending prospects, which required netminders to be under 25 years old and not one of their NHL club’s two starting options – truly an incredible achievement for the young goaltender.
When discussing his progress toward the NHL, Hildeby emphasizes the importance of focusing on his personal development and performance rather than fixating on the end goal.
“It's not really something I think about a whole lot here. I'm just trying to do my own race,” Hildeby told Masters. “Obviously, the main goal is going to be to get called up and eventually get a start. That's always what you strive for. I think the obvious answer is you don't really know until you try it out. We'll see about that. I'll try to do my absolute best and show them that I'm ready mentally.”
Regardless, the club was ecstatic with his first full season in the AHL. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting his progress and the potential they see in him. During the summer, he’s been at home with his parents in Sweden, relaxing. He plans to return to the “Toronto life” in the latter stages of August before training camp to get work in with goalie coach, Curtis Sanford. For now, Hildeby is taking it one day at a time as he continues to scratch the surface professionally.
“They (the Leafs) were happy with the year. A lot of positive feedback and just told me to keep on the same path,” said Hildeby. “They've shown me that they have beliefs in me. No one can predict the future. It's just take it day by day, and see how this season goes. Whatever happens, happens.”
