The Toronto Maple Leafs finally broke their losing streak in style, crushing the Penguins 7-2 in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
But the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story. The Penguins actually outshot the Leafs 35-23 and controlled play for long stretches of the game.
The difference-maker? Backup goalie Dennis Hildeby, who stood on his head despite not having played in over two weeks.
It was exactly the kind of performance teams dream of getting from their number two goalie. Even more impressive considering Joseph Woll has been lights-out as the starter since coming back from a personal break.
Now Leafs fans are buzzing about what to do with their suddenly strong goalie situation. Some think the team should cash in on Hildeby’s hot start and trade him. But there’s another idea gaining steam: trading Anthony Stolarz instead.
The plan would be pretty straightforward – stick with Woll as the main guy, keep Hildeby as backup, and use Stolarz to bring in help elsewhere on the roster.
Stolarz just signed a big deal with Toronto – four years, $15 million starting in 2026-27. For now, he’s finishing up a two-year, $5 million contract he got when joining as a free agent in 2024.
Who might want him? The Edmonton Oilers are desperately searching for better goaltending. The Montreal Canadiens need help too, though a trade between these old rivals seems unlikely.
The Carolina Hurricanes, who can’t seem to keep their goalies healthy, could be interested. The Utah Mammoth might also come calling – they could use an upgrade to pair with Karel Vejmelka.
And the goalie market is always changing. If the Leafs do decide to shop Stolarz around, more teams will probably join the conversation as the season goes on.
The 6-foot-6, 248-pound netminder would be a solid addition for any team needing help between the pipes. While there’s no word yet that Toronto’s actively trying to move him, it’s starting to look like an option worth exploring.
