Well, this series turned on its head before the Game 1 puck drop. Because the Carolina Hurricanes are in the middle of the Stanley Cup Final and short a goaltender, they called up Amir Miftakhov on an emergency basis. So, with Cayden Primeau already questionable with an injury and Miftakov missing at least one game of the series, the Chicago Wolves will have their third-string goaltender in the net to start the series. 

That’s the first matchup that the Toronto Marlies will exploit, or at least try to make the most of. They’ll look to test the goaltender and dare him to make big saves (who will it be? Your guess is as good as mine). The Wolves look like the better team heading into the series but if their goaltending can’t hold up, they have no chance. 

This series won’t come down to the goaltending exclusively, of course. These teams are well-coached, and it will be a chess match with plenty of adjustments. It makes for a few on-ice matchups that will decide who ends up hoisting the Calder Cup. 

The Marlies deserve credit for limiting the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins from finding scoring chances on the rush. They got the puck in deep and defended the neutral zone to limit a fast team from making the most of quick scoring chances. It’s by design as they want to protect one of the few weaknesses Artur Ahktyamov has. 

The Wolves, meanwhile, will want to make the most of open ice when they get it. They have plenty of skill in their top six, and the skaters who can turn a breakaway into a goal, notably Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, and Justin Robidas. It won’t be easy with the game slowing down and the ice conditions presumably limiting the speed from both teams. That said, if any team can still win on the rush, it’s the Wolves. 

The Marlies will once again look to get the puck in deep. They’ll chip and chase to force the Wolves to go the full length of the ice. Conversely, the Wolves are looking to make the most of turnovers and find quick chances. The Wolves will also turn to their puck handlers to give them the momentum in this series and likely ask Nadeau to drive the play even from his own zone. 

The Marlies love to get to the net front and find those dirty-area goals. They have the veterans who know how to score in the playoffs with Vinni Lettieri, Logan Shaw, and Benoit-Olivier Groulx carrying the Marlies in the playoffs. Plus, the depth skaters have also gone to the crease to make the most of loose pucks and shots on the net from the point. 

The key for the Wolves is to protect the net with their defensive unit stepping up. They have three pairs that they rotate, and none of them are weak links. So, they can limit the Marlies from taking advantage of those opportunities and help out their goaltender. 

On top of that, the Wolves need their centers to step up on the defensive end. Suzuki has plenty of skill but this series will be about his ability to step up in the middle of the defensive zone. Likewise, Ivan Ryabkin is putting together an incredible playoff run on both ends and looks a lot like a future third-line center, maybe someone who can eventually replace Jordan Staal. The Marlies will get the puck to the net, and the key for the Wolves is to clean those chances up. 

While this matchup doesn’t pit one team or unit against another, this is the key to the series. The question for both teams is who will step up and move the puck up the ice. Who will turn defense into offense? Who will open things up at the point and generate offense when goals are hard to come by? 

The Marlies know who that player will be, with defenseman William Villeneuve emerging as a top two-way defenseman, someone who can potentially play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s the defenseman who moves the puck out of the defensive zone and has set up the forwards for scoring chances with his playmaking. It shows with 16 points in 19 playoff games. 

The Wolves don’t have a clear-cut number one defenseman to lean on, and instead, they have a few options. Juuso Valimaki is the veteran, yet the Wolves have a few younger options who can step up in this series as well, notably Charles Alexis Legault, a 22-year-old prospect who also adds a physical element to his game. If this blue line handles the puck and controls it throughout the series, it’s hard to see this team losing. 

While the Wolves have question marks in the net, no question about who will start for the Marlies. Artur Ahktyamov has been incredible in the Calder Cup Playoffs, making an argument to join the Maple Leafs' goaltending next season. 

If there’s one trait that stands out, certainly to the casual viewer, it’s his glove. He can snare the puck on a quick top-shelf shot and eliminate second chances. It’s huge in the playoffs. Teams love to find loose pucks and second chances near the goal. Ahktyamov doesn’t provide them. 

For the Wolves, the assignment is straightforward. They must beat his glove with their skilled forwards taking over games. Nadeau, Suzuki, Robidas, and a healthy Felix Unger Sorum have great shots, and with open looks, they can score on anyone. They now face an up-and-coming 24-year-old goaltender who is playing his best at the right time.

In the bigger picture, this series also comes down to the matchup behind the bench. These two teams have great coaches who will make the adjustments and find the right lines to lean on. Spiro Anastas knows Nadeau will lead the Wolves. John Gruden has his veterans and prospect Easton Cowan, who is putting together a remarkable playoff run in his own right. So, it makes for a fun matchup to go along with an exciting series.