Despite a sour season for the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, the campaign has yielded an interesting development.
Last season, the Leafs’ goaltending situation allowed the club to paper over numerous inconsistencies, mainly on the defensive side of the puck. But this year’s lack of consistency in goal, particularly due to injuries, has exposed many of the flaws observers already knew about.
That said, there was one benefit to the Maple Leafs’ relatively messy goaltending situation. The club got an extended look at Dennis Hildeby. While Hildeby wasn’t precisely Vezina-Trophy material, he proved he was a solid NHL-caliber goalie.
And it’s that situation that created a bit of a logjam in the crease. With Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll healthy, the Leafs now have three solid goalies. That’s a condition that several teams around the league are looking for, insider David Pagnotta noted.
“I think there are teams that are curious what they do with the Woll-Stolarz combo, especially with Dennis Hildeby coming into the frame.”
Now, the Maple Leafs are in a bit of a tough bind. Stolarz will be starting a four-year contract extension next season. Woll is under contract for two more seasons, while Hildeby has two more years on his contract. It’s worth noting that next season will be his last year as a waivers-exempt player.
That’s another crucial issue. The logjam in the crease isn’t much of a problem because Hildeby does not need to clear waivers. If he had not, the Maple Leafs would find themselves in a pickle.
Could Maple Leafs Trade a Goalie?
The possibility of trading a goalie was part of the discussion surrounding the Maple Leafs at the deadline this year. Stolarz’s name bounced around the rumor mill. But the team didn’t do much about it. Perhaps there were no tangible offers on the table, if any.
In that regard, the Maple Leafs could explore moving one of their three goalies this offseason. Woll has no trade protection this upcoming season. He’ll get an eight-team no-trade list kick in ahead of the 2027-28 season.
Meanwhile, Stolarz will have a 16-team no-trade clause kicking in this summer. The clause won’t make it impossible to trade Stolarz, but it will make matters a bit harder.
There is no indication that the Maple Leafs are actively shopping a goalie. But depending on how things play out from now until the end of the season, that situation may change.
Hildeby Deserves a Longer Look
One of the storylines heading into next season will be the need for the team to give Hildeby a longer look.
The sample size this season wasn’t bad. The former fourth-round pick of the 2022 NHL Draft appeared in 19 games, notching a 2.90 GAA and a .912 SV%. His best game of the season came on December 8 when he made 29 saves in a shutout of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
That’s why Hildeby should get a better chance for the Maple Leafs next season. Some healthy competition will not hurt the team in the crease. But it may create a tough situation moving forward. The club will certainly be willing to listen if the right deal comes along.
Maple Leafs Goaltending Situation Drawing Attention