When opportunity knocked for the Maple Leafs this season, it came in the form of an unexpected challenge. With Anthony Stolarz sidelined by injury, then followed by an injury to Joseph Woll, Toronto’s net was entrusted to Denis Hildeby — an unproven 24-year-old goaltender with a spotty NHL track record and whose journey to the NHL has been anything but conventional. Last year, during a brief six-game stint, Hildeby appeared overwhelmed by the caliber of NHL shooters. Critics doubted his readiness, as his save percentage (SV PCT) and goals against average (GAA) painted a picture of struggle. But this season, the narrative has shifted.
A glance at Hildeby’s record this season — just 2 wins against 5 losses and 4 overtime defeats — might suggest a goalie that was in over his head. Yet, his individual statistics tell a richer story and one that is consistent with those watching his play this season. Among NHL goalies with at least 12 games played, Hildeby’s .912 SV PCT sits 13th out of 61, earning him a place among the league’s more reliable backstops. His 2.95 GAA is tied with Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark, but is much better than established NHL stars like Jacob Markstrom, Frederik Andersen, and Jordan Binnington, not to mention preseason rookie sensation Yaroslav Askarov. The rumor mill now buzzes with speculation about the Leafs trading one of their three goaltenders — a testament to Hildeby’s meteoric rise.
Denis Hildeby’s journey to the NHL is one of resilience and bold decision-making — a tale that stands out in the Leafs’ prospect pipeline. When the Leafs drafted Hildeby In 2022, he was far from your typical 18-year-old draft pick. At 20 years of age, he’d already watched two drafts pass by without hearing his name. For four years, he battled it out in the Swedish junior league, showing little beyond his imposing 6’7” size to suggest he might one day play in the NHL. To make matters worse, Hildeby underwent hip surgery after the 2021 season, followed by a preventative procedure on his other hip — surgeries that led to an admission from Hildeby that he had no aspirations of playing pro hockey in North America.
But then, everything changed. After recovering, Hildeby returned for his fifth junior season in 2021-22 and promptly dominated, posting an impressive .931 SV PCT in 12 games. His stellar play earned him a call-up to the Swedish Elite League, where he backstopped Farjestad to a 3-2 record in seven games and dazzled with a 1.95 GAA and the same .931 SV PCT. Though the sample size was small, the Leafs’ goalie consultant Jon Elkin was convinced Hildeby was something special, urging Head Amateur Scout Wes Clarke to take a closer look.
Draft day arrived with tension and uncertainty. The Leafs, without a first-round pick, used their second-rounder, 38th overall, on Fraser Minten. No goalies had yet come off the board. By their third-round pick and the 95th overall selection of F Nick Moldenhauer, two goalies were gone off the draft board, and goalie selections were heating up with goalies being drafted at overall pick 102, 108, and 118 in the fourth round. With five goalies selected and the Leafs not picking again until the fifth round, Elkin convinced GM Kyle Dubas that Hildeby wouldn’t last. Fearing another team would snatch him, Dubas brokered a trade with Nashville for the 122nd overall pick in exchange for the Leafs’ fourth round pick in the 2023 draft. With that inconspicuous move, the Leafs secured Hildeby. It seemed like a puzzling move – trading up to select an over-age goalie who had passed undrafted through the previous two NHL drafts. But Hildeby’s size and newfound dominance were too intriguing to ignore.
Looking back, the gamble paid off handsomely with a very marginal cost. Of the 20 goalies drafted in 2022, Hildeby has already played 20 NHL games, far outpacing his draft peers, who have just seven combined appearances. While it’s still early to crown Hildeby as the best of the ’22 daft class, one thing is clear: the Leafs’ willingness to trust their scouts and take a chance on a late bloomer has revitalized their goaltending prospects at a time when the pipeline seemed dry.
Whether Hildeby becomes a long-term cornerstone in net remains uncertain. Yet, to unearth a player at a premium position with a mid-round pick making an immediate impact, is a victory in itself — a testament to the power of bold decisions, thinking outside of the box and a belief in finding overlooked talent.
Since the Leafs have traded away their first-round picks for 2026 and 2027, it is more important than ever for the team to find more “Hildeby-like” players in the middle to late rounds of the draft and focus on developing each prospect to reach their full potential.