The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting a good look at their future with the way the Marlies, their American Hockey League team, has played in the Calder Cup Final. Their 1-0 Game 3 win moves them one win away from a title.
It felt fitting that on the same day that the Toronto Maple Leafs traded away Joseph Woll, one of their NHL goaltenders, that the 24-year-old Artur Ahktyamov has a shutout. It felt fitting that in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Final, the only goal came off a snipe by Easton Cowan, the top prospect on the AHL team whose made significant strides in the playoffs.
The Toronto Marlies won Game 3 with a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Wolves. It gives them a 3-0 series lead and moves them one win away from their first title since 2018. In the playoffs, the prospects have stepped up. In the Final, the prospects are showing the Maple Leafs that there is a bright future and hope in the next few years.
It starts with their elite winger. Cowan is starting to look more like a star and someone who can be a valuable part of the NHL roster as early as next season.
Cowan's Rise On Display In Game 3
The recent game was a goaltending duel, and the first goal felt like it would be a game-winner. The game was a classic playoff hockey type, where opportunities were hard to come by. It's why when Cowan had space to operate, he made the most of it.
Cowan got the puck in the face-off dot, and the Wolves gave him something they should never give a skilled player like him. Time. Cowan saw his shooting lane and hesitated enough to get a good handle on the puck, something skaters struggled to find all night. His shot wasn't a beauty or a highlight per se but he got enough on it to get it past Cayden Primeau.
The goal was Cowan's eighth of the playoffs. Many wondered if he'd buy in for a playoff run and have what it takes to score in these games when skill is limited. Cowan, who spent most of this season in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, is not only one of the Marlies' best players but is also proving that he should be a regular on the NHL team next season.
The question now is how good Cowan can become on the Maple Leafs. The skill was always there, while the smart plays and two-way play were what the Marlies worked on. This playoff run shows that Cowan can be a key part of the next core. He won't be as good as the number one overall pick (whoever the Maple Leafs take), and he isn't the complete player like Matthew Knies. However, he can be a building block for years to come, an integral winger who will keep them competitive in the long run.
Ahktyamov With Another Remarkable Performance
The playoffs opened the door for Ahktyamov, and the 24-year-old goaltender kicked it down. He's proving that he can win when the pressure is at its highest. In the playoffs, he plays at another gear and has that killer instinct to take over games.
He's done it plenty of times in the playoffs. He did it again in Game 3 against the Wolves, with a 24-save shutout to seal the Marlies 1-0 win. Ahktyamov also has the skills that translate to the playoffs and the NHL level, as he doesn't let the physicality get to him and has a glove to stop the top-shelf shots.
The Maple Leafs acquired Samuel Ersson in the Joseph Woll trade, exchanging a backup goaltender for a backup goaltender. That said, Ahktyamov has put himself in a position to become a backup on the Maple Leafs. It's possible the NHL team doesn't make that trade before this playoff run, knowing they have more confidence in the Marlies starter.
Marlies Were Overlooked All Season When They Shouldn't Have Been
The Marlies shocked everyone by taking over this series against a talented Wolves team. The Wolves entered this series as the favorites. The Marlies have a 3-0 series lead.
Then again, fans who have watched the AHL and the playoffs know better. They know that the Marlies were a more talented team than their record suggested. They have a group built to win in the playoffs and a coach who has them prepared for moments like these.
The Marlies are led by a great veteran group with Logan Shaw, Vinni Lettieri, and Benoit-Olivier Groulx leading the way but the prospects have made significant progress as well. It's made them a group fit to hoist the Cup, which is suddenly a possibility on Thursday night.