Jake Hildebrand playing in the National Hockey League?

The idea isn’t so far-fetched.

The Butler resident and Michigan State University junior goaltender has already been to a New Jersey Devils camp and has worked out with current NHL players from the Pittsburgh area.

He was considered one of the top 20 goalies in the NCAA last year and was on the watch lost for the Mike Richter Award, given to the nation’s top goaltender. Hildebrand is on that list again this season.

Other factors weigh in Hildebrand’s favor looking down the road.

Michigan State is playing 20 of its 34 regularly scheduled games this year against preseason top-20 ranked foes. Two of those games are on the road this weekend — at Boston University and University of Lowell-Mass. — so Hildebrand will be facing plenty of quality competition.

Michigan State had 13 players on NHL opening night rosters this season, including perennial all-star goaltender Ryan Miller with Vancouver. So NHL scouts know about this program well.

Finally, Hildebrand is no longer eligible for the NHL Draft, meaning any team can sign him to a contract. That can be beneficial to a goaltender, who could sign with an organization in need of depth at that position as opposed to being trapped behind a veteran netminder or two at the NHL level.

Hildebrand has made no secret he wants to play in the NHL. And there is some precedent in the county.

Mike Weber was a freshman at Seneca Valley years who opted to go play junior hockey in Canada at that point to heighten his hockey development. He is now a defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres who has earned a solid reputation as a tough stay-at-home defender across the league.

Hildebrand took a similar route, playing three years in the United States Hockey League with Sioux City and Cedar Rapids in Iowa.

It’s tough for a high school-aged kid to leave home, sacrifice attending their hometown high school and hanging out with the friends he grew up with.

Such a move shows desire and the willingness to set a lofty goal and to do what it takes to get there.

No one knows at this point whether Hildebrand will realize his dream. Plenty of outstanding hockey players never get to don a uniform in the NHL.

But this guy is building a resume.

He allowed two or fewer goals in 21 of 32 games for the Spartans last year, posting a 2.44 goals against average and .923 save percentage. Hildebrand played 61 games at MSU entering this season and has a career 2.40 GAA.

He’s got his own goalie coach in Shane Clifford, who has worked with NHL goaltenders and says Hildebrand has all of the necessary tools.

Jake Hildebrand may not be a familiar sports name around here.

But he’s well-known in hockey circles — and might be just beginning.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle