Maple Leafs recall Dennis Hildeby from AHL’s Toronto Marlies

The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Dennis Hildeby from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the team announced Saturday.

Hildeby has won both of his starts with the Marlies this year, posting a 0.97 goals against average and .962 save percentage.

Anthony Stolarz is the Maple Leafs’ incumbent starter, Cayden Primeau operates as the second-string goalie, while Joseph Woll is working his way back into form after returning from a personal leave of absence. Primeau is expected to make his second start of the year during Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Hildeby was called up to serve as Primeau’s backup, while Stolarz receives a rest day.

Hildeby played in six games with the Maple Leafs last season, posting a 3-3-0 record with a .878 save percentage. The 24-year-old signed a three-year extension worth $841,667 annually on September 2. Hildeby is operating on a one-way contract through the 2026-27 season, before his deal converts into a one-way contract for the 2027-28 campaign.

“It was kind of a rollercoaster of a season, a little up and down there,” Hildeby said of his 2024-25 season upon signing his contract extension in September. “There was a lot of new stuff I tried to implement into my game that maybe didn’t work out at first. Tried a lot of new stuff and figured out my game more. This season is more about getting back to taking all this new stuff and make it come together in a way that works for me.”

Hildeby is The Leafs Nation’s third-ranked prospect and he’s clearly someone the organization values as part of their future core, due to his size and spatial intelligence. It’s likely that Hildeby will push the incumbents for a roster spot next year, while continuing to develop with the Marlies.

Make sure to tune into The Nation Network’s watch-along doubleheader! Zack Phillips and special guests will be live on The Leafs Nation’s YouTube channel to watch Leafs-Sabres, followed by Adam Peddle and Nick Paleolog going live on Blue Jays Today’s YouTube channel for Game 2 of the World Series.