The Toronto Maple Leafs face a tough decision regarding their goaltending situation this offseason.
Namely, the Leafs have three viable NHL goalies in the pipeline and only two spots to offer. That situation means that there might be an odd man out this offseason.
The current tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll has played well enough at times this season. However, injuries, particularly to Stolarz, have taken their toll on the club’s overall performance. Part of the Maple Leafs’ disaster this season was the lack of great goaltending, papering over many of its defensive issues.
That said, Dennis Hildeby was a solid addition during times when both Stolarz and Woll were on the shelf. And that’s what complicates matters. Hildeby, as Scott Wheeler in The Athletic described him, could push to become a No. 2 NHL netminder.
“While he’s not the perfect goalie, he represents good organizational depth, and there are some who believe he’s going to stick as a No. 2 in the NHL at some point, even if that’s not in Toronto in the short term with their tandem.”
Assuming that Hildeby has the potential to become a solid No. 2 NHL goalie, where does that leave Woll or Stolarz?
Maple Leafs rumors suggested that Stolarz could have been on the block in the run-up to the NHL trade deadline. But, honestly, that wasn’t going to happen. Stolarz has a contract extension kicking in next season. Moving him at this point would make the optics on the deal look really bad.
Maple Leafs Must Give Hildeby a Fair Shot
The bottom line here is that the Maple Leafs won’t really know what they have in Hildeby until they give him a fair shot. That seems reasonable, but would that fair shot come at the expense of Woll or Stolarz. Allowing Hildeby more NHL playing time means one of the two current NHL netminders would have to sit.
That might not go down too well, especially if both goalies are healthy. But keeping Hildeby in the AHL is not really the best solution to this issue. For now, however, keeping Hildeby in the AHL is the most convenient move. The 24-year-old is waivers-exempt for one more season. So, keeping him in the minors is the easiest way out for the Maple Leafs, at least for the time being.
Could Hildeby Be the Odd Man Out?
There’s certainly an argument for Toronto to trade Hildeby. That move makes sense on the surface, especially if it means bringing in other pieces that could address the club’s overall depth situation.
That said, the Leafs must consider at least the possibility of moving one of Woll or Stolarz this offseason. Considering that Stolarz has an incoming extension, Woll might be the likeliest candidate.
There’s no telling what sort of market there might be for Woll. But it wouldn’t be surprising to hear the Maple Leafs getting phone calls inquiring about Woll. Again, if a deal recoups useful pieces for other roster areas, the club must at least consider the possibilities.
It would be premature to expect at deal at this point. Nevertheless, rumors should pick up the closer the Maple Leafs get to the 2026 NHL Draft.
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