There's a lot to dive into as the Calder Cup Playoffs head to the Eastern and Western Conference Final rounds. Plus, a look at a goaltending market that might heat up in the summer. All that and more in this week's AHL notebook.
The Calder Cup conference final matchups are set. The marathon that is the playoffs is now down to four teams, with the Toronto Marlies facing the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in the Eastern Conference, while the Chicago Wolves face the Colorado Eagles in the Western Conference.
At this point, every team in the American Hockey League has a strong case to win it all. So, let’s look at the argument for each of the final four teams.
Chicago Wolves - Matchup Nightmares
The Wolves have a great top line. Bradley Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, and Justin Robidas have a combined eight goals and 14 assists in this playoff run and can score on anyone, with their play against the Grand Rapids Griffins being a case in point.
Usually, teams look to line match and have their top defense pairs up against the Wolves' top line. This is where the matchup problems come in, particularly with Felix Unger Sorum stepping up and leading the second line with three goals and five assists.
The Wolves are also getting elite goaltending at the right time from Cayden Primeau, a journeyman goaltender who has allowed only 11 goals in his last five starts. Throw in the playmaking from Cal Foote and Juuso Valimaki from the point (13 points combined from the two defensemen), and the Wolves are playing like a Cup-caliber team for the home stretch.
Colorado Eagles - Miner & Depth Scoring
Trent Miner is on a heater, and it’s similar to the one Arturs Silovs had a year ago. Silovs wasn’t great during the regular season but was dominant in the playoffs, leading the Abbotsford Canucks to the 2025 title. Miner has a .947 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.26 goals-against average (GAA) with four shutouts and has blanked some of the best offenses in the AHL during the Eagles' playoff run.
Miner is the player to watch. The skater to watch is Ivan Ivan, a top forward prospect for the Colorado Avalanche. He’s a point-per-game player in the playoffs and drives the play for the Eagles' offense as a playmaker on the wing.
The Eagles also have depth scoring and veterans on all four lines. Whether it’s Tristen Nielsen or TJ Tynan, the Eagles have the veterans who can step up and provide the Eagles with a much-needed goal. This team wasn’t the best in the Pacific Division record-wise but they were the most complete team and look to finally bring a Calder Cup title to Colorado.
Toronto Marlies - Veterans & High-End Prospects
The Game 5 comeback was the case in point for how the Toronto Marlies have battled back all season. They were down 2-1 late in the third period and twice to take the game and the series. The goals fittingly came from Vinni Lettieri, their best veteran, and Easton Cowan, their top prospect.
The Marlies are getting the most out of their veterans with Lettieri, Logan Shaw, and Benoit-Olivier Groulx stepping up in the playoffs. They’ve not only led the Marlies on this playoff run, but they’ve also helped the prospects develop. Speaking of which, Cowan has shown flashes along with Ben Danford, who joined the team recently. So, there’s a lot of hope for the Maple Leafs future.
Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins - Four Forward Lines
The Penguins are rolling all four lines and finding offense regardless of who is on the ice. Naturally, the top six and the prospects will find goals, and Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, and Mikhail Ilyin have. However, the Penguins are also getting offense from their third and fourth lines in the playoffs, and it’s made the difference in these matchups.
With Rutger McGroarty on the third line, the Penguins have a top prospect adding a spark to a later line. Plus, Bill Zonnon, who made his debut in Game 1 of the Atlantic Division Final, has three goals in five games and is centering the fourth line.
It’s also worth mentioning that Sergei Murashov is one of the best goaltending prospects in the AHL. He was great all season and has picked up where he left off in the playoffs. Murashov can take over a game at any point and will aim to do so in the upcoming round.
Which AHL Goalies Can Be On NHL Teams' Radar?
Sebastian Cossa wasn’t in the starting net for the Griffins in their playoff run. Instead, they turned to rookie goaltender Michal Postava, who started fewer games and entered the playoffs without the big game experience. It’s why many are wondering whether the Detroit Red Wings will trade Cossa this offseason. If Postava is the starter moving forward and Trey Augustine is on the way as well, it forces the team's hand.
He’s not the only goaltender on the trade block, either. Considering how bad goaltending was in the NHL this season, teams will take their chances on a few AHL goaltenders this summer, especially after a handful had great seasons in the development league.
The other big name that comes to mind is Michael DiPietro, the back-to-back goaltender of the year. The Boston Bruins should give him a chance at some point. After all, he’s done it all in the AHL. However, other teams might take a chance on him even though he’s a smaller goaltender who relies on athleticism.
Then there’s Devon Levi on the Rochester Americans. The Buffalo Sabres have three goaltenders on their roster and don’t have a spot for their top goaltending prospect. So, the Sabres might use him as a trade chip, especially since he’s been great in the AHL in recent years.
The under-the-radar name to keep in mind is Joel Blomqvist, the backup for the Penguins who put together a great season. The Penguins have a great goaltending pipeline, and with Murashov in line to be the next NHL goaltender, Blomqvist, who can develop into an NHL-caliber goaltender, is expendable.
All this sets up for an offseason of big moves involving goaltenders. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if a blockbuster involves a goaltender or two. However, knowing how things work, none of these big trades will happen.
Quick Hits: Best Fit For Ott, More Thoughts On Hamilton & More
The Springfield Thunderbirds' run came to an end on Saturday night but it was a memorable one, especially for Steve Ott. The head coach removed any doubt that he can coach in the NHL, and the question now is which place is the best fit.
The Hamilton Hammers were introduced this week to the AHL. And with that, the New York Islanders have officially relocated their affiliate and will have their prospects cross the board and go through customs every time they are called up. Hamilton doesn’t have an international airport, or more accurately, their airport doesn’t have direct flights to New York.
This is a problem for a team that requires flights to call up their prospects. Someone noted that they might fly out of the Buffalo or Toronto airports. Either way, it’s an extra headache for the NHL team and the prospects. It makes you wonder about the move for the Islanders and if part of the relocation deal was for the city to add more direct flights (so, keep an eye out for that).
Game 5 of the Cleveland-Toronto series in downtown Cleveland drew over 12,000 fans. Keep in mind, the fans only had two days to buy tickets for the big game. It’s a good reminder that if the NHL looks to expand, this city must be on its shortlist. Now, if only the fans were treated to a better result as the Monsters blew a 2-1 lead in the third period and allowed a goal with 12 seconds left to lose 3-2. It’s a tough break but as some coaches have told me, “That’s hockey!”