Explaining Ilya Samsonov’s arbitration case with the Toronto Maple Leafs and why letting it get to that point is a loss for the club. Welcome to The Hockey News - Toronto's official Maple Leafs prospect rankings! During a 10-day period that will span from August 7-18, I will be releasing my rankings (from 10-1) of who I believe is the closest prospect to playing full-time NHL hockey with the Maple Leafs. The criteria for these rankings were players aged 24 or younger, and not projected to play in the NHL once training camp concludes this October. With that being said, Matthew Knies, Nick Robertson, Alex Steeves and Nick Abruzzese will not be featured in these rankings. While it's possible that a few of these players listed above could end up with the Marlies to begin the season, there's always the chance that a few of them surprise the Maple Leafs' staff and steal a spot. TIED FOR 10TH ARTUR AKHTYAMOV (NEFTYANIK ALMETIEVSK, VHL) GOALIE, 21 YEARS OLD, SIX-FOOT-ONE, 168 LBS VYACHESLAV PEKSA - (BARS KAZAN, VHL) GOALIE, 20 YEARS OLD, SIX-FOOT-THREE, 179 LBS If there are any prospects to start with in these rankings, it's both Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa. When Maple Leafs development camp came to a close just over a month ago, Assistant GM and Head of Player Development, Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, confirmed that the two Russian netminders would return home for another season. Both goaltenders played most of their games in the VHL (Russia's second-tier league) last season. Akhtyamov, with Neftyanik Almetievsk, played 39 games last season, putting up an impressive .943 save percentage in that span. The 21-year-old appeared in six playoff games and had an even better save percentage at .952. What stands out about Akhtyamov is his positioning and his speed. He always seems to be square to the puck, and if there's ever a situation where he needs to get across to stop a shot, the 21-year-old can because of his skating. Akhtyamov plays a very calm game, too, but can also use his athleticism if he's ever in trouble. The 21-year-old signed a one-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan earlier this month. Peksa spent last season with Bars Kazan in the VHL, playing 40 games and posting a .921 save percentage. The 20-year-old carries some of the same attributes as Akhtyamov but is two inches taller and a year younger. There isn't any information on where Peksa will play next season as of yet, though. "Everyone's very impressed," Wickenheiser said at Maple Leafs development camp last month. "Akhtyamov certainly has separated himself and Peksa right there as well. "It's exciting. We've got some good goalie depth I think here, and throughout the week those two really stood out as the top two." [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctYpUoVrTk0[/embed] Both netminders signed three-year entry-level deals with Toronto earlier this year, though it's not known when they will come to North America to play. If I had to predict what happens, I'd say each of the goaltenders will play out this season in Russia and then come to Canada once their season is over next spring. Looking back at when they signed Dennis Hildeby last summer, the 21-year-old played one final year in Sweden before coming to Toronto and getting into a game with the Marlies. When these two netminders come to North America, I believe they'll have one or two seasons to get settled before pushing to take the next step. Related Mike Babcock Admits Doing Wrong During Tenure as Maple Leafs Head Coach [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/mike-babcock-admits-doing-wrong-during-tenure-as-maple-leafs-head-coach] Report: Former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas was Waiting on Decision From Brandon Pridham Before Penguins Announcement [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/report-former-maple-leafs-gm-kyle-dubas-was-waiting-on-decision-from-brandon-pridham-before-penguins-announcement] Mikhail Sergachev Clarifies Comments Made About Maple Leafs' Recent Playoff Run [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/mikhail-sergachev-clarifies-comments-made-about-maple-leafs-recent-playoff-run] News from THN.com Defensive Dominos: Catching Up on the NHL's 2023 Off-Season Blueline Adjustments [https://thehockeynews.com/news/defensive-dominos-catching-up-on-the-nhls-2023-off-season-blueline-adjustments] 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Overview: Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2023-24-nhl-prospect-pool-overview-nashville-predators] Will the Maple Leafs Hang Onto William Nylander for This Season? [https://thehockeynews.com/news/will-the-maple-leafs-hang-onto-william-nylander-for-this-season]
