Dennis Hildeby

Growing up in the Timrå IK system, Hildeby took his early steps between youth practices and the club’s development programs in Sweden. Those formative years set the stage for loan moves that would give him meaningful game time and expose him to senior competition.

To accelerate his progress he spent 2020–21 on loan with Linden Hockey in Hockeyettan, then broke into Färjestad BK’s SHL roster during 2021–22, appearing in seven regular‑season games and finishing the campaign as part of a squad that won the Swedish championship. Toronto selected him in the fourth round, 122nd overall, of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and the club signed him to a three‑year entry‑level contract on 13 July 2022.

Instead of an immediate North American transition, he returned to Färjestad on loan to continue developing. When he arrived in Canada he skated in two games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and was later recalled on an emergency basis by the Maple Leafs during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs after the starter was injured. Over the following seasons he split time between the Marlies and occasional recalls to Toronto. He made his NHL debut on 10 October 2024, stopping 23 shots in a 4–2 win over the New Jersey Devils, appeared once more (a loss to Columbus), and was sent back to the Marlies on 24 October.

Hildeby recorded his first NHL shutout on 8 December 2025, a 2–0 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On 1 July 2026 Toronto traded him, along with a 2027 fourth‑round pick and a 2028 third‑round pick, to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Nick Paul. His résumé includes the SHL title won with Färjestad.

As a netminder he relies on steady technique and positional efficiency rather than flashiness. His career path — loans in Sweden, measured use of AHL minutes, and emergency NHL recalls — reflects a steady, experience‑focused approach to reaching and staying at the highest level.