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It’s heard all the time in hockey rinks across the country.
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You can never have too much goaltending.
In regard to the Maple Leafs, the 6-foot-7, 222-pound Dennis Hildeby is serving notice that he’s not too far off from becoming an everyday netminder in the National Hockey League.
Certainly, the potential is clear for the 23-year-old Swede.
“Very calm and cool,” Leafs coach Craig Berube told reporters in Montreal on Saturday night after Hildeby made 26 saves in the Leafs’ 2-1 preseason win against the Canadiens. “Tracks the puck extremely well, takes up a lot of net. He played the puck well and he made some really good saves with no rebounds.”
In Joseph Woll, the Leafs have developed a goalie that they drafted, having taken the 26-year-old in the third round in 2016. It has become a rare occurrence in Toronto, the drafting of a goalie who went on to play meaningful minutes in the NHL.
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Hildeby, selected by the Leafs in the fourth round in 2022, could be next, and there is well-placed hope for Artur Akhtyamov (taken in the fourth round in 2020) and Vyacheslav Peksa (chosen in the sixth round in 2021).
Count on Hildeby to get the majority of starts with the Toronto Marlies in 2024-25 after he posted a .913 save percentage in 41 games for the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate last season.
Woll and Anthony Stolarz will be under contract a year from now, with Woll starting his three-year extension and Stolarz finishing his two-year deal. Don’t be surprised if Hildeby finds a way to upset those plans to a degree heading into 2025-26.
XHEKAJ FINED
Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj got off rather lightly for going after the Leafs’ Cedric Pare in the first period on Saturday night.
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The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Sunday afternoon that Xhekaj was fined $3,385.42 US, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Xhekaj kept his gloves on when he repeatedly punched Pare in the head, not long after a knee-on-knee hit involving Pare and the Canadiens’ Patrik Laine ended the latter’s night.
Pare wasn’t penalized on the hit, nor when he was set upon by Xhekaj, who was assessed a total of 27 penalty minutes and a game misconduct for the incident at 4:47 of the first period.
There was no immediate word on Sunday from the Canadiens regarding the status of Laine, who clutched his left knee in pain and threw his gloves in frustration as he was helped from the ice.
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“It was not my intention (to hurt Laine),” Pare said after the game. “Just unfortunate. I didn’t mean to do that.
“I understand (Xhekaj) has to defend his teammates. I wasn’t ready for that, he kind of caught me by surprise. But I know what he is trying to do and I have to face it.”
Originally picked by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round in 2017, Pare has no history of being a malicious player. Since turning pro in 2020, his high for penalty minutes is 58, coming last season when he was with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.
The money forfeited by Xhekaj goes to the NHL players’ emergency assistance fund.
MORE FROM ROBERTSON
As much as Berube enjoyed watching Nick Robertson score both Toronto goals on Saturday, other elements of Robertson’s game stood out.
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“Not even the goals, but so much his effort and the way he played,” Berube said in discussing how he thought Robertson led the Leafs. “I thought his work ethic was excellent, the competitiveness, he made good decisions with the puck.”
Goalies don’t have to be told how effective Robertson’s shot can be, especially when he gets a look and can unleash a hard, low shot bound for the five-hole. It’s how he scored the winner on Montreal goalie Cayden Primeau early in the third period.
“I have some shots I go to and it’s just one I picked there,” Robertson said. “I’m going to keep it quiet on (what goes into the shot and when to use it.”
LOOSE LEAFS
After a full day off on Sunday, the Leafs will return to the ice on Monday at the Ford Performance Centre before heading north to Muskoka for a couple of days of work and play. With just two preseason games remaining, a home-and-home set with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday and Saturday, Berube will put the finishing touches on his lineup. Some players to keep an eye on this week: Centre John Tavares, who had not been participating since feeling some stiffness against Montreal on Thursday; winger Bobby McMann, who had a maintenance day on Saturday; and defenceman Jani Hakanpaa, who could join the main group for practice … With the Leafs’ stars not playing on Saturday, defenceman Simon Benoit and forward Matthew Knies each was an alternate captain in Montreal. “I have not worn (an alternate’s A) since junior, so it was good,” Knies said. “I was keeping it warm for the guys back home.”
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