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Marlies GM Ryan Hardy raves about atmosphere post-Calder Cup win: ‘This will be a magical time when it happens’
Photo credit: American Hockey League
Jun 23, 2026, 06:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 22, 2026, 22:54 EDT
Last Friday, the Toronto Marlies claimed American Hockey League glory by bringing home their second Calder Cup in franchise history.
The Marlies put together an unforgettable championship run during the 2026 playoffs, going all the way from the fourth seed in the AHL’s North Division to being the last team standing, which is something that not many saw coming when the playoffs began on April 22.
The Marlies defeated the Rochester Americans, Laval Rocket, Cleveland Monsters, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and then the Chicago Wolves along the way to the title. All told, the Marlies required 24 games to reach their 16 wins, including three victories in winner-take-all contests.
“We were eight points out of first place in the division. The American Hockey League is a funny thing where you rarely have the same roster for every game. I always knew that if we had our best team together, we had the group, and everyone got the right share with the leadership we had, that we had a chance,” Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager and Marlies GM Ryan Hardy said. “Through three rounds, I think we played the maximum amount of games, and what these guys accomplished was really incredible and special.”
While it wasn’t the Maple Leafs who were able to bring a championship to the city, the Marlies’ run showed the city’s passion for rooting on their hometown team. The Coca-Cola Coliseum was rocking with sellout crowds and offered a glimpse into what could happen if the NHL team found themselves on a deep postseason run.
“Things just kept building, and it started to feel like this was going to come together. Just standing on the ice for 20-30 minutes after the game, listening to all these people, and how much it meant to them,” Hardy said at the Marlies’ championship rally. “This is a hockey movie. There’s no place in the world where hockey matters more.
Toronto has often been described as the mecca of hockey due to the fanbase’s desire to see the first championship return to the city since 1967 and the constant media presence players often face. While that can be seen as a negative, Hardy noted that it can be a positive if the team achieves high levels of success.
“Sometimes a lot gets made about the media coverage and social media or all of these things, but everything has its equal or opposite. For all the negative noise, when you have moments like this, and hopefully when the Maple Leafs get it done, the equal and opposite is true,” Hardy said. “This will be a magical time when it happens, and you can really feel it from these guys.”
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