The Toronto Maple Leafs have some good depth at the goaltender position. With Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll playing in the NHL, the Toronto Marlies have Keith Petruzzeli, Martin Jones, and Dennis Hildeby.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, with Samsonov and Woll, are 8-5-2 on the season. The Marlies, with a 7-3-2 record, are sharing the lead for the AHL’s North Division with the Rochester Americans. All three are getting a chance to shine this season. Petruzzeli has played in five games, while Jones and Hildeby have played four each.
Leafs prospect Dennis Hildeby is making the most out of his playing time. He is the first Toronto Marlies rookie goaltender to record back-to-back shutouts.
He helped the Marlies beat the Laval Rocket 5-0 on November 4th and then the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-0 on November 11th. The Marlies failed to record a single shutout last season but have two already this season, thanks to Hildeby.
Hildeby has an impressive 2-1-1 record with two shutouts, a 1.26 GAA, and a .950 SV% through four games. The 6’7 goaltender is making a name for himself in his first season in the AHL.
After his 2022-23 season with Farjestad BK in the Sweden Hockey League (SHL) finished, he came to North America and joined the Marlies late last season. He did not do well in that first showing, but he looks much better this season. (Stats from eliteprospects.com)
Other Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Doing Well with Toronto Marlies
Alex Steeves
Alex Steeves is on a nine-game point streak with eight goals and four assists for 12 points.
He has 14 points on the season through 12 games. This is Steeves’ third year in the Leafs organization after three years at the University of Notre Dame. He registered 46 points in his first season with the Marlies and followed that up with 51 points last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Steeves gets a few games at the NHL this season.
Nick Abruzzese
Nick Abruzzese has points in four straight games, with two goals and six assists for eight points. He has 11 points in 12 games this season.
Abruzzese is looking to improve upon his 48 points in 69 games last season. He is a fourth-round draft pick of the Leafs from the 2019 NHL draft. After his draft, Abruzzese spent three seasons in the NCAA playing for Harvard University. In 11 NHL games, Abruzzese has registered one goal and two assists for three points.
The future looks bright for these three Toronto Maple Leafs prospects.