After another disappointing Toronto Maple Leafs playoff loss, it's time to break up the core four forwards and that might mean moving on from Mitch Marner, who becomes a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season. It’s official, the VHL Goaltender of the Year is coming to Toronto. As reported and confirmed by The Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan [https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/1805989218239250679], Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender prospect Artur Akhtyamov will be joining the organization, his agent Dan Milstein confirms. After another standout year that saw his club, Neftyanik Almetievsk, win the VHL championship, Akhtyamov is continuing his playing career in Toronto and is scheduled to arrive at the Leafs’ training facility next week. Split between time with the VHL, the second-highest-ranked league in Russian hockey, and the KHL, Akhtyamov found success all throughout the 2023-24 campaign. In his VHL stint with the Neftyanik Almetievsk, he posted a 10-5-4 record in the regular season with a .927 save percentage, a 2.00 goals-against average, and three shutouts. Impressively, his stellar play carried over to the postseason as he earned a 16-5-0 record with a 2.15 goals against average, a .932 save percentage, and two shutout performances in 21 playoff appearances for the club. He led the number nine-seeded Almetievsk to a VHL championship stopping 41 of 43 shots in the deciding Game 4 and being named the Petrov Cup’s Most Valuable Player. In his time in the KHL, Akhtyamov appeared in 17 games for the Ak Bars Kazan, putting together a 2.51 goals against average paired with a shutout and a .921 save percentage. At 22 years old, playing in a professional league, these numbers are quite remarkable and certainly turned some heads. Akhtyamov was drafted by the Leafs in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft at pick number 106. Due to his exceptional play, the club signed the standout goaltender to his entry-level contract last summer – a three-year $2.55 million contract with an AAV of $881,667. The young goaltender prospect marked another bright spot for the Maple Leafs this season, as he continues to emerge as a prominent player in the Leafs’ system going forward. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Report: Maple Leafs Willing to Trade First-Round Pick in Upcoming NHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-willing-to-trade-first-round-pick-in-upcoming-nhl-draft] Report: Maple Leafs Running Into Challenges in Exploring Mitch Marner Trade [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-running-into-challenges-in-exploring-mitch-marner-trade] 'It Never Gets Old Looking At This': Auston Matthews Featured in New Fanatics Maple Leafs Jersey Reveal by NHL (PHOTOS) [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/it-never-gets-old-looking-at-this-auston-matthews-featured-in-new-fanatics-maple-leafs-jersey-reveal-by-nhl-photos] News from THN.com Oilers on the Verge of Becoming the Most Unlikely, Memorable Cup Champs in NHL History [https://thehockeynews.com/news/oilers-on-the-verge-of-becoming-the-most-unlikely-memorable-cup-champs-in-nhl-history] NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest on Pavel Buchnevich, Logan Couture and Cam Atkinson [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-rumor-roundup-the-latest-on-pavel-buchnevich-logan-couture-and-cam-atkinson] Dallas Stars' Jim Nill Joins Elite Company With GM of the Year Award Win [https://thehockeynews.com/news/dallas-stars-jim-nill-joins-elite-company-with-gm-of-the-year-award-win]
