Goaltending depth wasn't an issue the Toronto Maple Leafs had circled to keep an eye on entering the 2025-26 season, yet that has now come to the forefront.
Wednesday's news that Joseph Woll will be taking a personal leave of absence, with no expected timetable for a return, has changed everything and created some questions in the crease.
If Woll were to miss games to start the regular season, Anthony Stolarz would be heavily relied upon as the clear-cut number one, with Dennis Hildeby potentially filling in behind him.
While the Maple Leafs could certainly tread water in that scenario to begin the year, Caleb Kerney of Heavy Sports is suggesting that Brad Treliving acquire another netminder for cheap via trade. The proposed deal would see Toronto land Connor Ingram from Utah in exchange for Calle Jarnkrok.
Maple Leafs receive: Connor Ingram
Mammoth receive: Calle Jarnkrok
"This would be a significant trade for both teams. The Utah Mammoth would acquire a forward who can serve anywhere in the lineup. The Maple Leafs get a goalie who can serve as a backup or even push Stolarz into a 1A/1B timeshare," Kerney wrote.
"The trade proposal sees the Maple Leafs acquire Connor Ingram, 28. The 6-foot-1, 218 lb goaltender was initially drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning 88th overall in 2016. In 102 career games, he has a 3.14 goals against average (GAA), a .902 save percentage (SV%), and seven shutouts," Kerney added.
Ingram is heading into the final season of the three-year, $5.85 million extension he signed with the Mammoth in 2023 and has been working with general manager Bill Armstrong to find a new home elsewhere in recent weeks.
Toronto should give Hildeby some runway
While Connor Ingram could be a nice low-cost addition for the Maple Leafs, this feels like the perfect opportunity to give Dennis Hildeby a chance to prove he's an NHL goalie.
The 24-year-old has put together back-to-back strong seasons with the AHL Toronto Marlies, and the organization has always been high on his abilities, so now is the time to follow through on that belief.
Stolarz handling the bulk of the workload will take pressure off Hildeby, who can settle in and get some starts for as long as Woll remains unavailable, which hockey fans hope won't be too long.