'I Anticipate Solely The Finest For Me': Maple Leafs Goaltending Prospect Dennis Hildeby Prepared For Second Season with Marlies, Not Pondering of NHL Future

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September 14, 2024

Though it looks as if Dennis Hildeby may need a brilliant future on the NHL stage, it is not what he is occupied with forward of his second professional season in North America.

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The 23-year-old goaltending prospect had an unbelievable debut season within the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. 41 video games performed, a .913 save proportion, a Marlies-record 21 wins as a rookie goaltender, and an AHL All-Star nod.

It was an enormous yr for Hildeby — one which he hopes to construct off of this season.

“I count on solely one of the best for me, to do one of the best on daily basis, take someday at a time. A whole lot of mentality, simply staying balanced and attempting to take pleasure in myself,” the netminder mentioned when requested about his expectations for this season.

“I feel that is one of the best recipe for achievement. No matter occurs, it is very exhausting to foretell, however I feel if I do all of the issues I ought to do and I do them nearly as good as I can, issues can prove nicely. That is the plan.”

Standing at 6-foot-7, Hildeby takes up a lot of the internet already. Nonetheless, he additionally mentioned that one in all his objectives is so as to add extra muscle, which ought to assist in different areas of his recreation.

Hildeby has additionally labored loads this summer season on stopping accidents in the course of the season and attempting so as to add extra velocity within the internet.

“Off ice, I like the place my bodily talents are. I have been working loads with sustaining that and a variety of prehab, strengthening up joints and attempting to stop accidents sooner or later,” Hildeby mentioned.

“On ice, a variety of pushing my tempo, doing all the things faster, below management in fact, however simply specializing in that velocity on a regular basis and getting sooner. A whole lot of concentrate on rotations too, simply a few technical stuff I feel will assist.”

Toronto is loaded with goaltenders this season. Within the NHL, you may doubtless see Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz — barring any accidents — take the reigns. With the Marlies within the AHL, it’s going to doubtless be Hildeby, Matt Murray, and probably one, or each of, Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa.

It is attainable that if one in all Woll or Stolarz goes down with an harm, Hildeby is the primary option to be introduced as much as the NHL stage. Hildeby already had one stint with the Maple Leafs final season, although he did not make his NHL debut.

Whether or not that happens this season stays to be seen, and Hildeby admitted on Thursday throughout Day 2 of Maple Leafs prospect camp that he tries not to consider the longer term within the NHL.

“In fact, that is all the time going to be the aim. I feel I am not the one one with that aim, in order that’s all the time what we work in direction of,” he mentioned.

“I simply don’t desire it to take up an excessive amount of of my pondering or my mind time or no matter, as a result of I feel that may create some issues. In fact, that is what I am going for for positive. I am simply attempting to do my finest.”

There have been a variety of positives for Hildeby to remove from his first AHL season. He was robust, his preparation was “elite,” and he made it simple for the defensemen in entrance of him to play their recreation.

“He is a terrific goalie. He is a giant man and it is easy to play after I know he is within the internet each time and I can belief him one hundred pc,” his Marlies teammate, Topi Niemela, mentioned on Thursday.

Marlies head coach John Gruden was there each step of the best way with Hildeby final season. However now, one other step in the suitable course is required, and that would result in an NHL debut later this season.

“He had a very good yr (final yr), it was solely his first yr enjoying over right here in North America. So he has to know simply the consistency and being an on a regular basis professional, what it is like,” Gruden, who’s main Toronto’s prospect camp, mentioned on Thursday.

“And he is a giant physique, so it simply takes guys like that, particularly goaltenders, just a little bit longer. However he places within the work too. He is acquired a great construction, he is acquired a great basis to himself, and now he is simply gotta proceed to develop in that regard.”