Toronto Maple Leafs - 2022 Entry Draft - 4th Rd Pick (122nd OA) - Dennis Hildeby (G)

[Peasy]

I always like a big draft class that’s just a mixer pack of positions, sizes, upsides. You need little refreshers and constant pipelines for various positions and it’s good to spread out the risk tolerances with safe and home run picks.

Diversify, just like investing

 

[ErnieLeafs]

That's the thing though. Drafting a goalie is the worst investment possible if they're not top rated because it may take years for them to develop and then they may not turn into a good starter anyways. Shesterkin took like 6 years before he finally started playing on the Rangers regularly and playing well. That's the best case scenario verus waiting that same amount of time and having your goalie pick probably not turn out nearly as well.

On the otherhand drafting a forward or defenseman can potentially have them playing on your NHL team in a shorter period of time even if they're mid to late round picks. I'd rather let someone else do the goalie development and then when you need a goalie then trade for one or else go to free agency or look in international leagues for one that can either play right away or can do so within a short period of time because they've been developing overseas already.

Unless you hit the jackpot it seems like many goalies won't be ready until their mid 20s or so and then you have to hope they'll be good enough to be a starter let alone a star. I'll take a chance on a foward or dman turning into something than drafting a goalie in the mid to late rounds and hoping they'll turn into something anytime soon.

This is a terrible way to manage the position, and future assets

 

[Nylander88]

I like this pick. Massive body in the crease. 20 years old, so a little further along in development, which is good since goalies don't usually come onto the scene until 23+ yes old. Hopefully we develop someone finally. Scott, Woll, Akhtyamov...now Hildeby. Would love to end up with a "home grown" starting goalie at some point.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

I like this pick. Massive body in the crease. 20 years old, so a little further along in development, which is good since goalies don't usually come onto the scene until 23+ yes old. Hopefully we develop someone finally. Scott, Woll, Akhtyamov...now Hildeby. Would love to end up with a "home grown" starting goalie at some point.

We also have Petruzzeli and McKay

 

[Nylander88]

We also have Petruzzeli and McKay

Good point, forgot about them. Throw enough at the wall....something is hopefully bound to stick

 

[GQS]

No guarantees at any position. Jeremy Bracco sure didn’t pan out like Alex DeBrincat.

Obviously there aren't any guarantees, BUT you're still more likely to have a player that can play some NHL games from the forward or dman position than you are from the goalie position and that's probably more likely going to be sooner rather than later.

Tell me of the over dozen goalies that the Leafs have drafted since Potvin have turned into a good starting goalie? Only Tuuka Rask and we traded him to the Bruins otherwise every other goalie who's played NHL games for us has been pretty average to mediocre. That's a 32 year span where the Leafs haven't been able to draft and develop a good starter other than Rask and we used some pretty high picks to draft some of them.

 

[Tarmore]

I like this pick. Massive body in the crease. 20 years old, so a little further along in development, which is good since goalies don't usually come onto the scene until 23+ yes old. Hopefully we develop someone finally. Scott, Woll, Akhtyamov...now Hildeby. Would love to end up with a "home grown" starting goalie at some point.

I was thinking this too and wondered if it was purposely done.

I believe he is under contract for next year to another club, so that buys another year.

If he is then signed to an ELC that's buys 3 more. That would bring him to about 24 years old and we should have an good idea of what we have in him then. I hope.

 

[GQS]

Stanley Cup winning goalies over the last 10 years:

2022 - Kuemper (trade, but had the worst stats for a SC winning goalie in like 35 years or something like that)
2021 - Vasilevsky (drafted by TB)
2020 - Vasilevsky (drafted by TB)
2019 - Binnington (drafted by St. Louis)
2018 - Holtby (drafted by Washington)
2017 - MAF/Murray (both drafted by Pittsburgh)
2016 - Murray (drafted by Pittsburgh)
2015 - Crawford (drafted by Chicago)
2014 - Quick (drafted by LA)
2013 - Crawford (drafted by Chicago)

There's a pretty clear trend here. I would suggest we should be putting a lot of effort into goaltending drafting / development.

How many teams that have tried to draft and develop a goalie and haven't been able to do so? I looked through the Leafs history of drafting goalies and Potvin from 1990 was the last goalie we drafted that became a good starter for the team. We also drafted Rask, but of course we traded him away. So 32 years of drafting goalies and using 24 picks we've produced exactly TWO starting goalies and only one if we don't include Rask and a couple of fewer picks if we don't include a few goalies from the last couple of drafts who are only starting their development.

Also for all the teams you've mentioned that have won cups with homegrown goalies, they've pretty much ALL have hit the ball out of the park on only one or two of ALL their goalie picks similar to the Leafs since 1990. Only St. Louis have drafted 3 goalies that have gone on to become good/great starters not including Husso who's still a relative unknown as to how he'll turn out with so few games.

So do you really believe spending 20+ picks over so many years to produce one maybe two good goalies is worth it? I certainly don't. Spend those same 20+ picks on forwards and dmen prospects and you'll likely get more players who may turn into being decent if not good NHL players and they'll probably be playing for your team much sooner as well.

And think of the kind of young or good vet goalies you could trade for with those 20+ draft picks and/or the prospects you drafted using them over the years? They'll probably end up being better than anything you'll draft and you won't have to wait for a number of years to see if they'll develop into an NHL goalie especially with the current Leafs team that are ready to compete and need a good goalie right now.

 

[justashadowof]

I know he's super tall but 234 is very heavy for a goaltender. That can be sorted out. Probably naturally athletic and has never encountered the barriers carrying too much weight can cause yet. He could perhaps be the real Monster this time around.

 

[Tarmore]

How many teams that have tried to draft and develop a goalie and haven't been able to do so? I looked through the Leafs history of drafting goalies and Potvin from 1990 was the last goalie we drafted that became a good starter for the team. We also drafted Rask, but of course we traded him away. So 32 years of drafting goalies and using 24 picks we've produced exactly TWO starting goalies and only one if we don't include Rask and a couple of fewer picks if we don't include a few goalies from the last couple of drafts who are only starting their development.

Also for all the teams you've mentioned that have won cups with homegrown goalies, they've pretty much ALL have hit the ball out of the park on only one or two of ALL their goalie picks similar to the Leafs since 1990. Only St. Louis have drafted 3 goalies that have gone on to become good/great starters not including Husso who's still a relative unknown as to how he'll turn out with so few games.

So do you really believe spending 20+ picks over so many years to produce one maybe two good goalies is worth it? I certainly don't. Spend those same 20+ picks on forwards and dmen prospects and you'll likely get more players who may turn into being decent if not good NHL players and they'll probably be playing for your team much sooner as well.

And think of the kind of young or good vet goalies you could trade for with those 20+ draft picks and/or the prospects you drafted using them over the years? They'll probably end up being better than anything you'll draft and you won't have to wait for a number of years to see if they'll develop into an NHL goalie especially with the current Leafs team that are ready to compete and need a good goalie right now.

What about Reimer he was a starter in the NHL?

I know he wasn't cup caliber but he is worth mentioning in your rant.

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

What about Reimer he was a starter in the NHL?

I know he wasn't cup caliber but he is worth mentioning in your rant.

People like this who fail to even mention Riemer really don't deserve any acknowledgement with their posts.

I did a deep dive into NHL goalies a while back and Riemer is already 97th all time in games played as a goalie out of 417 that have played at least 50 games. There have been over 800 to play at least 1 game. His career .913 save percentage ranks 51 out of 367 goalies that the league has stats for in the goalies that have played at least 50 games. He's also in the top 100 (97th) in SO.

 

[67Cup]

I think Leaf draftee Tuuka Rask may make the Hall of Fame. Drafting him was a great idea. Trading him, not so much…

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

People like this who fail to even mention Riemer really don't deserve any acknowledgement with their posts.

I did a deep dive into NHL goalies a while back and Riemer is already 97th all time in games played as a goalie out of 417 that have played at least 50 games. There have been over 800 to play at least 1 game. His career .913 save percentage ranks 51 out of 367 goalies that the league has stats for in the goalies that have played at least 50 games. He's also in the top 100 (97th) in SO.

What also often doesn't get taken into account when discussing Reimer is that he had two horrible concussions de-rail a pair of seasons early in his career.

Who knows how good he could have been for us had he stayed healthy.

 

[613Leafer]

Obviously he's in Sweden this year, but as he'll be 22 next summer, any chance we get him over to the Marlies as early as 2023-2024 season?

 

[Fogelhund]

Obviously he's in Sweden this year, but as he'll be 22 next summer, any chance we get him over to the Marlies as early as 2023-2024 season?

Not unless his contract is bought out. He's contracted until the end of the 23-24 season.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Didn't trade up for Miettenen. Holmberg was the other one.

that is correct, my mistake!

still good company, in fact it's probably better company

 

[aingefan]

#’s look good and improving since ‘19-20

 

[barriers]

 

[I3LI3]

2.13 GAA
.924 save percentage
1 shutout

last 12 SHL games. kid is impressive. 21 years old.

 

[The Iceman]

Maybe someone can clarify but i think Hildeby is the only goalie under contract that the Leafs could call up if Kallegren or Samsonov were to get injured.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

2.13 GAA
.924 save percentage
1 shutout

last 12 SHL games. kid is impressive. 21 years old.

I have very high hopes for this kid, lets not rush him. I think he could FINALLY be our home grown drafted goalie. To lead us to a window of domination not seen since the 60's Muahahahahaha lol.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Maybe someone can clarify but i think Hildeby is the only goalie under contract that the Leafs could call up if Kallegren or Samsonov were to get injured.

Joe Woll also under contract, but since he's hurt, you're correct.

 

[Divine]

Maybe someone can clarify but i think Hildeby is the only goalie under contract that the Leafs could call up if Kallegren or Samsonov were to get injured.

Wow, thanks for jinxing us.

Are we allowed to call Hildeby back? Would he have to clear waivers for playing in another league?

Seems the logical thing to do is sign Petruzzelli

 

[Canada4Gold]

Wow, thanks for jinxing us.

Are we allowed to call Hildeby back? Would he have to clear waivers for playing in another league?

Seems the logical thing to do is sign Petruzzelli

Definitely wouldn't have to clear waivers as he's been our property all season. I think they could recall him but not sure

 

[cyris]

Maybe someone can clarify but i think Hildeby is the only goalie under contract that the Leafs could call up if Kallegren or Samsonov were to get injured.

There is no reason we couldn’t sign on of the guys we have on a minor league deal to an NHL one.