Toronto Maple Leafs Must Take Action After Dennis Hildeby's Outrageously Bad Performance

Last night, Dennis Hildeby started against the Columbus Blue Jackets and he was not particularly good as he allowed four goals on 18 shots in a 5-1 loss.

The goalie has started in six games so far this season and he currently has a record of 3-3 which on the surface, isn't so bad.

However, he has some pretty bad losses in there, including a six-goal shellacking against the Blue Jackets earlier in the season.

In fact, his goals-against average is 3.33 while his save percentage is an abysmal .878.

These are not the numbers of an NHL-ready goaltender, and it has become crystal clear that the Maple Leafs must act now and send Hildeby back down to the AHL.

Dennis Hildeby is 23 years old which means he is still relatively young for a netminder. In the NHL, he isn't getting enough reps which is hindering his development.

In the AHL, the goalie will play more games and he will actually get to play against players who are closer to his current level.

Meanwhile, Matt Murray has been on a heater with the Toronto Marlies as of late which makes him the perfect person to call up until Anthony Stolarz comes back.

While a demotion might be disappointing for Hildeby and his ambitions, there is no doubt that he would be much better off in the long run.

Only time will tell what the Maple Leafs decide to do here, although they will have to make a decision fairly soon.