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5 Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects to keep an eye on this season

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a couple of decent drafts in recent years. Those drafts have provided them with a well-rounded prospect pool. In this article, I will focus on the Leafs top five prospects aged 23 and under.

By Jeremy Ridgewell

Terry Wyatt/GettyImages
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Dennis Hildeby

Dennis Hildeby appeared in 41 games for the Marlies in the AHL last season. That is the most games he's ever played in a hockey season at any level. He finished the season with a 21-11-7 record and four shutouts. The 21 wins as a rookie is a Marlies franchise record. He ended the season with a 2.41 GAA and a .913 SV%.

At 6'7 and 222 pounds, there's no wondering how he got the nickname Hildebeast. He covers a lot of net, but that's not what makes him a good goaltender. Hildeby always finds a way to be in the right position. His combination of size, awareness, and positioning is the reason why he's the Leafs top goaltending prospect.

As good as he was last season, the Leafs and Marlies hope to see him play even better this season. Consistency will be the key to him finding more success. Hildeby will likely play 40-45 games this season for the Marlies. I would also expect him to get a call-up to the Leafs if Joseph Woll or Anthony Stolarz gets hurt.

The consensus within the Leafs organization is that Matt Murray will be sent down to the Marlies to start the season. This will give Hildeby the opportunity to talk to Murray and learn from a two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender. With Joseph Woll already at the NHL level, and Hildeby not too far behind him, the Leafs have good goaltending depth for the future.

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