"Joe Woll v2?" "Not a bad signing": NHL fans react as Maple Leafs sign Dennis Hildeby to 3-year contract extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced a new deal for Dennis Hildeby, a three-year contract extension. It is a two-way contract for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, followed by a one-way contract in 2027-28, with an average annual value of $841,667.

Hildeby played six games for the Leafs in the 2024-25 NHL season. He had a 3-3-0 record during that stretch. His goals-against average was 3.33, with a save percentage of .878. The numbers were modest, but Toronto values his potential and has faith in his development.

Soon after the Hildeby's signing announcement, fans reacted to the post on X.

"Not a bad signing, you think he makes the goalie tandem chat?" One fan wrote.

"Joe Woll v2?" Another fan asked.

"Y’all always say “we are so back” but in fact, we never fkn left 😤" a fan mentioned.

Many fans see Hildeby as a possible depth option. Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"Love to see it. Great AHL option now and could keep developing into an NHL starter before the contract is done," a fan mentioned.

"Love this for the Marlies, hope to never have to see him in net for the Leafs." a fan wrote.

"Hildeby probably isn’t gonna be as good as Woll but having term for a guy who could be a serviceable backup is really solid work." another fan mentioned.

The signing comes after another tough playoff exit for Toronto, losing to Florida in Game 7 of the second round. Toronto finished first in the Atlantic Division with 108 points. Still, they could not reach the conference final. Goaltending is one area they continue to watch closely.

Dennis Hildeby's NHL debut with a win

Dennis Hildeby made 23 saves in his NHL debut for Toronto. He helped the Maple Leafs defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-2. The 23-year-old said the game brought many emotions.

"I mean, it was a lot of emotions," Hildeby said, via NHL.com. "I tried to enjoy it as much as possible, but it was a little bit back and forth. I wanted to handle it and not get too emotional."

Hildeby became the fifth Maple Leafs goalie in 20 years to win his first start. It was a steady beginning for his NHL career.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain