According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to bring goalie Dennis Hildeby with them to Montreal for the season opener.
Let’s see how this develops during the day, but there is word Toronto is bringing Dennis Hildeby to Montreal tonight.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 9, 2024
No details were immediately made available as to the reason for this move, but many fans and reporters wondered if it had anything to do with Joseph Woll’s health status. One of the biggest question marks entering the season was the durability of the Leafs’ goaltending tandem as both Woll and Anthony Stolarz are unproven in larger roles while also having battled injuries throughout their careers so far.
Woll and Stolarz spoke with the media on Tuesday about their excitement about playing in Montreal and New Jersey, respectively and there did not appear to be any issues for both netminders. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube did not reveal to reporters who would be getting the nod for the opener and that likely won’t be revealed until closer to puck drop.
Should one of the goalies be injured already it would certainly be a tough blow from a confidence standpoint before the regular season has even begun for the Leafs. Woll appeared in just one preseason game and for the time being, there may be some concern emerging about a potential injury.
Alternatively, the Leafs could instead be implementing a strategy they have used in the past where they bring a third goalie with them for a back-to-back so that the intended starter for the second game gets to rest and not be used in the first game. This was what they did back in late March during a back-to-back where Woll went down to Carolina a night early for the second game while the Leafs were in Toronto playing the Oilers.
Hildeby graded out as The Leafs Nation’s third-ranked prospect and is coming off a strong rookie season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. He has expressed his eagerness to get a longer look in the NHL this year after getting with the main squad in the previous campaign.
UPDATE: Berube confirmed with reporters that Stolarz will be getting the nod for the regular season opener as Woll is dealing with lower-body tightness. The coach did not specify if Woll will be getting the start on Thursday instead but Hildeby will be travelling with the team to New Jersey regardless.
This story will be updated as more details emerge.
