Murray Demoted: Leafs Send Struggling Goalie to Marlies, Call Up Hildeby
Dennis Hildeby has been called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Matt Murray has been assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the team announced Monday.
At this point, these transactions are merely to facilitate who the backup goaltender will be, while Joseph Woll operates as the team’s uncontested No. 1, while Anthony Stolarz recovers from a procedure on his knee. Murray has played two games for the Maple Leafs, getting the win against the Buffalo Sabres on December 20, while losing to the Washington Capitals on December 28. Murray told reporters he’s still getting re-adjusted to the speed of NHL shooters following the loss, but he’ll likely be called up again, whenever Hildeby is alternated out of the rotation.
“A little bit, a little bit. I definitely had a long time off,” Murray said post-game. “There are 1-2 times a game where I’m a little bit late to picking up traffic, that type of thing. That happened a couple of times tonight, so I’ve just got to clean that up.”
Hildeby has played in four games, with a 2-1-0 record and .875 save percentage. He has also posted a 2-2-0 record and .916 save percentage with the Marlies. The 23-year-old may be the superior option over Murray in the long-term, as he’s considered an ascending prospect in the Maple Leafs’ system that is still tapping into his potential, while Murray is a known commodity that is working his way back into NHL form. Hildeby and Murray are effectively providing Woll with spot relief, in an attempt to reduce his workload.
Toronto resumes its schedule against the New York Islanders on New Year’s Eve, where Woll is expected to start, but no formal designation has been made. It’s likely Hildeby will play either January 4 against the Boston Bruins, or on January 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers, as the second goaltender on a back-to-back.
