Toronto is rolling the dice on a move so risky it could blow up the whole plan
The Toronto Maple Leafs goalie depth chart is crowded, and one young name may be the odd man out this summer.
LeafsUpdates21 floated the idea on X this week. Dennis Hildeby could be moved in the right trade, with Artur Akhtyamov having arguably leapfrogged him on the organizational depth chart.
The waivers wrinkle is the real driver. Hildeby requires waivers in the fall. That changes the math on every roster decision Toronto has to make heading into October.
Lose him for nothing on the wire or move him now while he still carries trade value. The numbers say the second option is the better play.
Hildeby finished his minor-league campaign with a 0.912 save percentage across 20 games on an $841,667 cap hit. The 24-year-old Swede has the body type NHL teams covet at the position, even if his ceiling remains unclear.
Akhtyamov is younger, cheaper at $851,666, and reportedly trending up internally. The 24-year-old Russian only played 3 games at the top level this season, but the long-term projection has him as the developmental piece worth holding.
Why this fits the Leafs' broader goalie reset plan
Toronto already has Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz at the NHL level. Woll posted a 0.898 save percentage across 39 games on a $3.66 million cap hit. Stolarz finished at 0.893 across 26 starts at $2.5 million.
Stolarz's value took a hit during a season that didn't go his way. Trading Hildeby in the right deal could indirectly give Stolarz more starts in 2026-27 to rebuild that value before his contract status becomes a bigger conversation.
The longer-term plan likely involves a Woll and Akhtyamov tandem heading into the 2027-28 season. That projection is what makes Hildeby movable now instead of later.
John Chayka has just taken over as Toronto's GM. Every depth chart decision he makes this summer signals the direction of the new regime. The goalie shake-up is one of the cleaner places to start.
The Leafs landed the first overall pick in this year's draft. Gavin McKenna is the projected selection. Toronto's larger off-season focus is reshaping the roster around their incoming franchise piece.
Honestly, this is the kind of move that doesn't move the headlines but matters in February. A goalie depth issue this summer is a roster emergency in December if mismanaged.
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Where does Hildeby land? Plenty of NHL teams need young goaltending. Edmonton has been openly chasing the position after Tristan Jarry's brutal year. Other clubs around the league are in the same boat.
Chayka has options. Trade Hildeby for a forward prospect. Trade him for a draft pick. Trade him as part of a larger package that nets a roster piece. The Leafs have flexibility here that most teams don't.
The draft is June 26. Free agency opens July 1. Toronto's goalie chess match starts in earnest right after that. Hildeby's name is now part of the conversation.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 29, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Taylor Hall | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jackson Blake | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Seth Jarvis | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alexander Nikishin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Phillip Danault | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||