The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Thursday that they have assigned goaltender Dennis Hildeby to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) and recalled goaltender Matt Murray.

Hildeby, 23, was the starting goalie for the Maple Leafs in their 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He’s 3-3-0 on the season with a goals-against average of 3.16 and a save percentage (SV%) of .878. The Maple Leafs’ fourth-round pick (122nd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft made his NHL debut in the team’s second game of the season, a win over the New Jersey Devils.

Murray, meanwhile, has spent the majority of the season with the Marlies after returning to the team on a one-year contract worth $875,000, slightly above the NHL’s league minimum of $750,000. The two-time Stanley Cup winner was acquired by the Maple Leafs in a deal with the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2022-23 season with two years remaining on his contract. Murray appeared in 26 games for the Leafs in 2022-23, sporting a record of 14-8-2 with a GAA of 3.01 and a .903 SV% before suffering a concussion near the end of the season.

Murray eventually underwent hip surgery in the Summer of 2023, leaving him on the injured reserve for the entire final year of his contract before he signed a one-year extension to stay with the Maple Leafs. He stopped 24 of 27 shots in his return to the NHL on December 20 of this season, but surrendered four goals on 31 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on December 28. He has excelled in 15 games with the Marlies this season, with a record of 8-4-2 complemented by an impressive 1.68 GAA and a .934 SV%. He’s especially thrived in his last three starts, winning each game including two shutouts.

The Maple Leafs will hope to get a steadier run from Murray in his return to the NHL as the team continues to anticipate the return of goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who was off to a phenomenal start for the Leafs with a 9-5-2 record along with a 2.15 GAA and a .927 SV% before injuring his knee in December. He’s in line to return sometime over the next couple of weeks, but for the time being, the Maple Leafs will continue to ride with Joseph Woll and whoever the hotter hand is between Murray and Hildeby.

The Maple Leafs are back in action on Saturday night when they visit the Ottawa Senators.