What The AHL Calder Cup Winning Marlies Had That The Maple Leafs Are Still Searching For
The Toronto Marlies displayed all sorts of aspects that any successful and championship-winning team needs. Maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs can take a page out of their AHL affiliate's 2026 Calder Cup run.
Video Transcript
Yeah.
it wasn't too long ago, 2018, when the Toronto Marlies won the Calder, Cup championships and- Yep you know, it was the, you know, a, a team that eventually graduated Sheldon Keefe, to the NHL.
Yeah.
So we'll see.
John's been Or sorry, Ryan's been talking about John Gruden as a potential NHL fit, for a lot of, these episodes, and I, I think that's the guy that I'd be looking at.
obviously Easton Cowan is also down there.
We saw what he could do at the NHL level.
And, you know, winning a championship, I don't care if it's at the, American Hockey League level or major junior or even in beer league, winning is winning.
And I think for a Toronto Maple Leafs team that is trying to get over the playoff hump, having some guys who can graduate to the NHL level and who have a taste of what it means to win a championship and how to go through the struggles of round after round is gonna pay huge dividends for the Toronto Maple Leafs, next year and the years, after this.
So I'm really looking at how Easton Cowan does in this final, as well as the goaltender who I can never pronounce his name, so I'll just call him Arty or AA.
There you go.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What's- Artur Akhtyamov.
there is sort of an irony in that- Ooh the Marlies are in the final, but it's mostly veterans that are getting it done for them, like Vinny Lecavaler, William Nylander.
Like, there's not a lot of actual NHL prospects on the team.
Akhtyamov in net has been fantastic.
He's been a difference maker, so that's a great sign for the Leafs because he could get you starts next year.
He could maybe, you know, foment you trading one of your NHL goaltenders because you have such depth at that position right now.
Yeah.
Easton Cowan really came on in that last series against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
you know, he had a tough start to the AHL playoffs.
I think he was probably trying to do too much, but now he's starting to settle in.
I, I think he had points in his last four or five games straight.
so that's a great sign as well.
But, you know, and, and Ben Danford is getting his first pro reps on the blue line, so he, I would say, a bit more of a long-term prospect there 'cause he's just starting his pro career.
But, it is kind of It's a funny team.
Like, they- Yeah they're more of an, like an old school AHL team where it's, like, guys that were not good enough for the NHL who are kinda, like, 25, 26, 27.
