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Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup: Akhtyamov shines for the Marlies, Minten making his way back
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff
Nick Richard
Oct 21, 2024, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 21, 2024, 12:30 EDT
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Even with Joseph Woll on the shelf, goaltending has been a strength for the Leafs to start the season, and the same can be said for the Marlies, who are off to a 5-0-0 start. With Dennis Hildeby backing up Anthony Stolarz on the NHL roster to begin the campaign, 2020 fourth-round pick Artur Akhtyamov is making his presence known in the early days of his AHL career.
Akhtyamov got his first AHL start on October 13th against the San Diego Gulls, and he made a heck of a first impression, stopping 37 of the 38 shots he faced in a 4-1 victory. He was back between the pipes on Friday for the first of three games in three days for the Marlies, making 26 saves in a 4-2 win, and he was called upon to finish off the three-in-three set on Sunday, picking up his first AHL shutout with 17 stops as the Marlies took down the Utica Comets by a score of 4-0. Through the first three games of his AHL career, Akhtyamov owns a record of 3-0-0 to go along with a 1.00 goals-against average (GAA) and .964 save percentage (SV%).
It’s still very early, but the Leafs organization couldn’t have asked for more from Akhtyamov in his first taste of North American pro hockey. Getting off to a strong start could prove crucial for Akhtyamov, with Hildeby set to return to the Marlies in the coming days and playing time becoming increasingly tough to come by. With two starts in the first five games of the Marlies’ schedule, Matt Murray is in the mix as well, and it will be interesting to monitor how the coaching staff handles the veteran netminder with two promising youngsters in Hildeby and Akhtyamov in need of playing time.
It’s a good problem to have, and one the Leafs haven’t really had in a number of years. Developing goaltenders has been a shortcoming for the organization for decades, but it appears as though the Leafs are finally insulated with homegrown talent between the pipes. Woll, drafted back in 2016, has had his share of injury troubles, but he has also shown flashes of brilliance in limited NHL action and looks like a potential starter or 1A moving forward. Hildeby was passed over in multiple drafts before the Leafs scooped him up in 2022, and he has shown rapid growth over the last couple of seasons, to the point where he has already become a viable NHL option. Now, after putting together an impressive track record in Russia over the last few seasons, Akhtyamov is wasting little time establishing himself in the AHL.
The Leafs’ goaltending pipeline looks as strong as it has in a long time, and the way Akhtyamov has played upon his arrival to North America is a big reason why.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

  • The London Knights named Easton Cowan as an alternate captain this past week, and he extended his regular-season point streak to 41 games dating back to last season with an assist in Friday’s loss to Saginaw and a goal in Sunday’s 3-1 win over the Erie Otters. Cowan hasn’t lit up the scoresheet to begin the season but he has still been productive with three goals and three assists through his first five games.
  • Fraser Minten looked primed to push for a spot on the Leafs’ opening night roster before suffering a high-ankle sprain during the Prospect Showcase in Montreal that forced him to miss training camp, but he was back on the ice last week. Expect him to continue skating and working with the Leafs’ medical staff in preparation for joining the Marlies when he is ready for game action.
  • Nikita Grebenkin registered a lone assist through his first four games with the Marlies, but he put together the best performance of his young AHL career against Utica on Sunday. Skating on a line with Cedric Paré and Ryan Tverberg, Grebenkin posted a pair of pretty assists on the board before scoring his first AHL goal on the power play later in the game. The Leafs have plenty of bodies up front, but Grebenkin will be near the top of the call-up list if he continues to produce in the AHL.
  • Tverberg also had a productive outing on Sunday alongside Grebenkin and Paré, tallying three assists in the shutout over Utica. After a solid rookie season with the Marlies a year ago, he is off to a hot start with five assists in five games to begin his sophomore campaign. There are plenty of names to leapfrog on the depth chart, but if Tverberg can continue to produce while playing with a bit more of the physicality he showed in college, I believe in his potential as a bottom-six NHL forward.
  • Noah Chadwick had a big night as the Lethbridge Hurricanes took down the Prince George Cougars on Friday night, notching his first goal of the season and adding three helpers. Through seven games, the Hurricanes captain has a goal and five assists, with the club going 4-2-1 since he rejoined them following Leafs training camp.
  • Roni Hirvonen’s first season in North America was a difficult one, with a pair of serious injuries costing him significant time, but he is back at full health and off to an impressive start with the Marlies this season. He was held off the scoresheet for the first time against Utica on Sunday, but Hirvonen has already registered two goals and three assists in five games to begin the year as he looks to reestablish himself as one of the top young players in the organization.
  • 2024 fifth-rounder Miroslav Holinka has gotten off to a strong start in his first year with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and he picked up his third goal of the season in Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Red Deer Rebels. Through seven games, Holinka has notched six points while playing down the middle in a top-six role.
  • Another 2024 draft pick, blueliner Victor Johansson, has had a fantastic start to the season. After notching eight points in 34 games in Sweden’s junior league last season, Johansson potted a goal and 12 assists in the first 14 games this season, earning his first recall to the SHL. He made his debut with Leksands on Thursday but saw just over two minutes of ice time as the seventh defenceman. Still, Johansson appears to have taken a step forward in his draft+1 season and a larger role with his SHL club could be there for the taking as the season progresses.
  • Hudson Malinoski’s sophomore campaign at Providence is off to a hot start, highlighted by a two-point effort against Arizona State on Saturday. He opened the scoring before setting up the eventual game-winner, and he’s up to four points in three games to start the season.
Statistics from EliteProspects.com
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