Maple Leafs teammates share thoughts as Dennis Hildeby is thrust into the starter's role in Toronto

With Anthony Stolarz still sidelined and Joseph Woll now hurt as well, the 24-year-old Hildeby will make his first scheduled NHL start on Saturday in Montreal. Until now, the 6'7" rookie has only appeared in relief or on the back half of back-to-backs. That changes this weekend, and the Leafs are rallying behind him.

Auston Matthews praised Hildeby's poise after his most recent appearance on Thursday in Carolina. Matthews called Hildeby's performance in a 5-1 win against the Hurricanes "unbelievable". It's safe to say the captain is a fan.

Matthew Knies echoed the sentiment. He said scoring against Hildeby at practice is almost impossible because of his size, and he believes opposing shooters will face the same trouble. Knies also pointed out that Hildeby has already handled tough situations, stepping into games midway and keeping Toronto alive.

The Leafs did not expect Hildeby to be in the NHL this season. Management spent months trying to shield him in the AHL, even temporarily adding James Reimer and Cayden Primeau to protect his development path. Yet here he is, trusted in a critical stretch of the schedule.

Hildeby said he feels calmer this year, both in mindset and movement, something reflected in his strong .919 save percentage. His teammates believe in that calm.

The Leafs are pumping his tires for a reason. They need stability, belief and a goalie who can weather tough minutes behind a blue line still finding consistency. Hildeby's size, technique and poise give the Leafs hope he can do exactly that.

For a team desperate to stay in the playoff mix amid a 3-game win streak, Hildeby's emergence could become one of the season's defining storylines. His teammates are all in. Now it's his crease to seize.