For the first time in decades, Toronto’s goaltending pipeline looks to not only be stable but perhaps one of the NHL’s best.
While free agent signing Anthony Stolarz has been dominating headlines to begin the season due to his remarkable play and highlight reel saves, Joseph Woll has already begun to establish himself as possibly Toronto’s best homegrown netminder in decades. Despite two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray playing for the Toronto Marlies, Dennis Hildeby has for the moment claimed the role of Toronto’s third-string goaltender following last year’s strong rookie season with the Marlies and a solid NHL debut while filling in for an injured Joseph Woll. However, his second start showcased how player development is anything but linear.
Sitting fifth on the goaltending depth chart may be Toronto’s best-kept secret, Russian netminder Artur Akhtyamov. Despite being drafted two years before Hildeby, Akhtyamov is the younger of the two, turning 23-years-old this coming Halloween. Seen as a longshot developmental prospect who wasn’t even ranked by NHL Central Scouting when he was drafted in the fourth round out of the MHL, Russia’s junior system, Akhtyamov has continued to impress at every single level he’s played in. From the MHL to Russia’s AHL-equivalent of the VHL, up to the KHL, and now finally in the American Hockey League playing for the Toronto Marlies.
As the challenges rise, so does Akthyamov. The 6’2 netminder showcases an excellent combination of strong positioning and quick reflexes that have allowed him to seemingly always be in the right place at the right time. After splitting time between Russia’s top two leagues last season, Akhtyamov was named VHL playoff MVP while leading his team to a championship on the back of a .932 save percentage over 21 playoff games.
Following success in the KHL, dominating the VHL’s playoffs, and showing a consistent upward trend in his development, Akthyamov found himself finally cracking the Top 10 on most Toronto Maple Leafs prospect rankings to open the season. For many scouts and analysts, it was a cautious optimism as many European prospects struggle to make the jump to North America where the ice is smaller. This can be especially true for goaltending prospects who suddenly have to deal with more congested traffic in front of them, leading to unlucky bounces, blocked sightlines, and all sorts of bumping from opponents and teammates fighting for position on the doorstep.
While it’s still too early to call Akhtyamov the next Dominik Hasek, he’s passed his first North American test with flying colours, posting results through his first three games better than even his most bullish supporters could have hoped for. With Hildeby moved up to the Toronto Maple Leafs to fill in for an injured Woll, Akhtyamov (who many expected to start the season in the ECHL) was thrust up the depth chart and did not disappoint. Through three AHL games so far, he’s posted a stunning .964 save percentage (SV%) and 1.00 goals-against average (GAA) while earning a shutout in only his 3rd career North American start.
Beyond just the numbers, Akhtyamov has passed the eye test as well, showcasing an excellent hockey IQ as he tracks the puck and uses strong positioning to make challenging plays look routine. Rarely are you left thinking “he should have had that” while watching Akhtyamov play, his calm collected performances often result in making all the necessary stops and keeping his team in any contest.
The last two goaltenders drafted and developed by the Maple Leafs into NHL regulars have been James Reimer and Felix Potvin. Having found success with only two players at arguably the sport’s most important position in nearly 40 years is an unacceptably low number for any team. Now, with Woll, Hildeby, and Akhtyamov, the Maple Leafs have a chance to more than double that number in the foreseeable future.
With Woll expected to return from injury soon, and Hildeby likely being sent down to the Toronto Marlies as a result, Toronto’s management team will now need to problem-solve for one of the best dilemmas a hockey team could ever face – having too many talented netminders.
The Marlies already have three goaltenders on the roster, and Hildeby would be the fourth. Before the season, it was expected that Akhtyamov would be partnered with his longtime friend and former teammate in Russia, Slava Peksa to tandem the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones net together. Peksa struggled in the ECHL last season, and many believed that having the two young Russian netminders sharing a net would make the transition to North America easier for the pair as they’d not only have someone who speaks their language to practice and room with, but a good friend at that. Despite seeing no game action, Peksa has been on the Marlies roster since the start of the season, showcasing how that may have been the Maple Leafs’ plan all along, keeping the two friends partnered to train and develop together.
Despite Akhtyamov’s excellent play so far this season, it’s likely he’ll be the odd man out once Woll returns. The Maple Leafs will want Hildeby and Matt Murray to be seeing regular game time in the AHL, keeping the two netminders ready to fill in should another injury plague the NHL roster. Though he’s proven capable of handling AHL talent, Akhtyamov would likely benefit far more from being the 1A on the ECHL roster, rather than the third option on the Marlies. When Woll returns, expect the two Russian netminders to be sent down to Cincinnati together with Akthyamov taking over as the team’s starter.
Should Akthyamov continue to impress in the minor leagues, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be the benefactors of having a diamond in the rough goaltender shooting up the leaguewide rankings of the NHL’s best prospects. It would also leave GM Brad Treliving with a crucial decision to make. Keep all three of his young talented netminders, or dangle one of them in a trade package that could help the Maple Leafs acquire a difference-maker at the deadline to gear up for a deep playoff run.
Maple Leafs fans are likely still scarred over the team’s decision to trade away Tuukka Rask over Justin Pogge many years ago, but if Stolarz and Woll continue to shine, then losing one of Hildeby or Akthyamov could be the key to acquiring elite talent.
