Dennis Hildeby
| Dennis Hildeby | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hildeby with the Toronto Marlies in 2024 | |||
| Born |
19 August 2001 Järfälla, Sweden | ||
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) | ||
| Weight | 224 lb (102 kg; 16 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Toronto Maple Leafs Färjestad BK | ||
| NHL draft |
122nd overall, 2022 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| Playing career | 2020–present | ||
Dennis Hildeby (born 19 August 2001), nicknamed "the Hildebeast",[1][2][3] is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hildeby was drafted in the fourth round, 122nd overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2022 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Hildeby started in his youth in Timrå IK system. He played in the 2020–21 season on a loan for Linden Hockey in the Hockeyettan.[4]
Hildeby played in seven regular season games with Färjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during the 2021–22 season and won the SHL title with the team.[5][6] He was drafted in the fourth round, 122nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL in the 2022 NHL entry draft.[6][7] On 13 July 2022, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs.[5][8] He ultimately returned to Färjestad BK on a loan to earn more experience.[5] Hildeby finished the season with Färjestad BK and came over to North America, where he appeared in two games with the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. During the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, Hildeby was recalled on an emergency basis by the Maple Leafs after starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov was injured.[9]
Hildeby attended the Maple Leafs' 2023 training camp, but was assigned to the Marlies to start the 2023–24 season.[10] He was later called up to the Maple Leafs as Samsonov's replacement after the goaltender was placed on waivers, though he did not see any ice time.[11][12] He was again assigned to the Marlies to start the 2024–25 season,[13] though following an injury to Joseph Woll, he was recalled to the Maple Leafs on an emergency basis.[14] On 10 October 2024, Hildeby made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs, making 23 saves in a 4–2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.[15] He played in one more game, suffering his first NHL loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, before Woll was activated and he was returned to the Marlies on 24 October.[16]
Hildeby earned his first NHL shutout in a 2–0 Maple Leafs' win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on 8 December 2025.[17]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2017–18 | Timrå IK | J18 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1.99 | .929 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Timrå IK | J18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 120 | 7 | 1 | 3.50 | .881 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Timrå IK | J20 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 1,288 | 79 | 0 | 3.68 | .873 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Timrå IK | J20 | 27 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 1,613 | 74 | 2 | 2.75 | .911 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Färjestad BK | J20 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 1,086 | 56 | 0 | 3.10 | .911 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Linden Hockey | Div.1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 74 | 4 | 0 | 3.26 | .913 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Färjestad BK | J20 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 707 | 33 | 0 | 2.80 | .931 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Färjestad BK | SHL | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 342 | 11 | 1 | 1.93 | .931 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Färjestad BK | SHL | 21 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1,222 | 46 | 3 | 2.26 | .918 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||
| 2022–23 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 8 | 0 | 5.28 | .849 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||
| 2023–24 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 41 | 21 | 11 | 7 | 2,394 | 96 | 4 | 2.41 | .913 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 179 | 10 | 0 | 3.35 | .896 | ||
| 2024–25 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 30 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 1,692 | 72 | 2 | 2.55 | .908 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 69 | 4 | 0 | 3.50 | .886 | ||
| 2024–25 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 361 | 20 | 0 | 3.33 | .878 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| SHL totals | 28 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 1,564 | 57 | 4 | 2.19 | .921 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||||
| NHL totals | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 361 | 20 | 0 | 3.33 | .878 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| SHL | ||
| Le Mat Trophy champion | 2022 | [18][19] |
References
- ^ Masters, Mark (20 November 2023). "Leafs prospect Hildeby making a name for himself in AHL". PHPA. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
Dennis Hildeby sighs when his 'Hildebeast' nickname is brought up.
- ^ Hornby, Lance (1 January 2024). "Hildebeast adds his nickname to Leaf list of labels". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ DiManno, Rosie (1 January 2024). "Enter the Hildebeast, goodbye Ilya Samsonov. That first Maple Leafs practice was an eye-opener". Toronto Star. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "Sommarprat med Dennis Hildeby". Eskilstuna Linden Hockey (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ a b c Alter, David (27 July 2022). "Dennis Hildeby Among Goalie Prospects the Maple Leafs Hope Will Blossom". The Hockey News. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ a b Stewart, Brian (8 July 2022). "Toronto Maple Leafs trade picks to select Dennis Hildeby 122nd overall". Pension Plan Puppets. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ Petrielli, Anthony (8 July 2022). "Dennis Hildeby drafted 122nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs". Maple Leafs Hotstove. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Maple Leafs Sign Goaltender Dennis Hildeby". Toronto Maple Leafs. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022 – via NHL.com.
- ^ "Maple Leafs recall goaltender Dennis Hildeby to serve as team's playoff EBUG". Sportsnet. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ Hornby, Lance (2 October 2023). "Maple Leafs get scissors out to trim roster". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ Barden, Nick (1 January 2024). "'A Very Proud Moment': How Dennis Hildeby Turned His Debut AHL Season into a Call-Up with Maple Leafs". The Hockey News. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ Bukala, Jason; Boylen, Rory (1 January 2023). "Scout's Analysis: What Maple Leafs have in goalie Dennis Hildeby". Sportsnet. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Maple Leafs' Dennis Hildeby: Heading to AHL". CBS Sports. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Ice Chips: Connor Hellebuyck to start for Winnipeg Jets against Edmonton Oilers". TSN. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ Morealle, Mike G. (11 October 2024). "Hildeby makes 23 saves in NHL debut, Maple Leafs defeat Devils". National Hockey League. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ McGoey, Steven (24 October 2024). "Toronto Maple Leafs Assign Dennis Hildeby To Toronto Marlies, Activate Joseph Woll". The Hockey News. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ McCarthy, Dave (8 December 2025). "Hildeby gets 1st career shutout, Maple Leafs top Lightning". NHL.com. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Färjestad wins it on the road". eurohockeyclubs.com. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Färjestad svenska mästare" [Färjestad BK are Swedish Champions] (in Swedish). Swedish Hockey League. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database