'Some Of It Is Bigger Picture Focused, Not Just Focused On Our Next Game' Why the Maple Leafs Have Chosen to Start Ilya Samsonov Over Dennis Hildeby Against the Red Wings

The Maple Leafs placed Samsonov on waivers on Dec. 31 after their highest-paid goaltender started this season with a 5-2-6 record and an .862 save percentage. The 26-year-old was assigned to the Toronto Marlies the following day, but did not play with the club. Instead, he worked with Marlies goalie coach Hannu Toivonen, while the club called up rookie prospect Dennis Hildeby.

Toronto appeared reluctant to rush the prospect goaltender along. With Joseph Woll out since Dec. 7 with a high-ankle sprain, the Leafs rode 33-year-old Martin Jones for the last seven starts, including back-to-back victories against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 2 and 3, respectively.

Before the Leafs' 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Keefe confirmed a goalie not named Jones would start on Sunday, citing that putting the 33-year-old again would be "overdoing it". 

The Leafs returned Hildeby to the Marlies and brought up Samsonov earlier in the week. The 6-foot-7 Hildeby made 20 saves in an 8-0 shutout against the Belleville Senators on Friday.

The decision signals that the Maple Leafs appear hellbent on getting Samsonov back on track.

"When you make a decision like this it’s not just a feel thing or whatever the coach thinks. You’re consulting everybody trying to do what’s right for the team and the player," Keefe said. "Some of it is bigger picture focused, not just focused on the next game."

There is nothing Hildeby could have done to force the issue. Toronto wants him to develop instead of throwing him into an NHL situation before he is prepared to do so.

"Once the decision was made that they didn’t want him to play any AHL games we need to get him back in the game here and see where he’s at," Keefe said. "We need to do a good job in front of him and he’s done the work to be ready for today and we’ll get him in there."

Other lineup changes

Mark Giordano will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season, while Conor Timmins will come into the lineup for the first time since Dec. 21.

The Maple Leafs have other injury concerns following the game and another change could take place, Keefe confirmed. They may also shuffle the lines after captain John Tavares, Tyler Bertuzzi and Matthew Knies were benched for much of the third period in the team loss on Saturday.

Where to watch

In Canada, the Leafs/Red Wings game will be broadcast and streamed nationally on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. In the Detroit region, the game will be streamed and broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit. For the rest of the United States, the game will stream on ESPN+. Around the world, the game will stream on the respective carrier of NHL Live on NHL.TV.