The Toronto Marlies’ October has finished. They played their last game against the Belleville Senators on Oct. 26 and lost in the shootout, bringing their record to 6-0-0-1; their next game will be on Nov. 1.
Their special teams have been a significant contributor to their success. They still haven’t allowed a goal on the penalty kill. While their power play hasn’t been at the same elite level as their penalty kill, it has still contributed to their offence, especially with the recent additions to the team helping it out. Let’s look at our three stars for October for the Marlies and why they stood out in their season-opening month.
Third Star: Alexander Nylander
The latest addition to the team this past offseason is the brother of Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander. Initially, the signing was viewed as a great move, particularly because it allowed both brothers to play within the same organization. There was also the potential for him to receive playing time if he was called up. Additionally, he mentioned that he turned down offers from other NHL teams to come here specifically, which speaks to his commitment. However, his on-ice performance has been an important factor as well. In his first month with the team, he scored five goals and two assists for seven points and was second with that amount. He has elevated his role on the team through his production on the power play and his crucial contributions. This season, he leads the team with three power-play goals.
Nylander, 26, recorded 11 goals and four assists in 23 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2023-24 season after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Additionally, he played 43 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he tallied 32 points, including 17 goals and 15 assists. He has excelled skating on the top line with Logan Shaw and Nick Abruzzese. His work is shown on the stat sheet. As long as that line stays together and continues what they are doing, he could have a career season, breaking the one he set with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2022-23, where he scored 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points.
Second Star: Artur Akhtyamov
I was skeptical about how the Marlies goalie situation could look before the season. Dennis Hildeby has shown he can perform at this level. Still, he was called up when Joesph Woll was placed on injured reserve to start the season, so all the Marlies had were Matt Murray, who was coming off major surgery, rookie Vyacheslav Peska, who came over from Russia, and rookie Artur Akhtyamov, and boy, have they shown up to start the season. He started the season with a 4-0-0-1 record, which is second best in wins in the league, a .941 save percentage (SV%) and a goals-against average of 1.47.
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At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, the goaltender from Kazan, Russia has impressed many in his debut season in North America. Akhtyamov has demonstrated a remarkable ability to read the play as it unfolds. He positions himself effectively in shooting lanes and is often squared up to shooters even before the puck has left their stick. His movements are typically proactive; rather than simply reacting to the puck’s position, he anticipates the position of the puck carrier and the available passing options. This allows him to place himself in a position covering the most high-danger shooting lanes. With Hildeby now back with the Marlies, the net might be shared more, but there is no doubt that Akhtyamov has proven that it is his net to lose and will continue to show out every chance he can.
First Star: Logan Shaw
Entering his third season as the Marlies’ captain, Shaw has continued to show his crucial importance to the team in many critical ways. Offensively, he is a significant benefactor, leading the team in assists (seven) and points (eight) while also adding one goal. He leads the way on the top line. As stated before, Abruzzese and Nylander look like they have been playing together for years with their chemistry on the ice when moving the puck and setting up plays. He is an excellent power playmaker, leading the team with four power-play assists this season. His contributions have been a significant factor in helping players like Nylander and Nikita Grebenkin capitalize on scoring opportunities. Shaw’s strong awareness and puck-moving skills are crucial in setting these goals.
What he does best is his defensive abilities on the ice, either 5-on-5 or on the penalty kill. Shaw on that top unit helps one of the best penalty kills in the AHL that has yet to concede a power-play goal. He has scored one of only two shorthanded goals the team has, alongside Joesph Blandisi. His defensive abilities stand out more than just killing penalties; he knows how to stay aggressive while not taking penalties, as he has yet to commit a penalty while being a plus-3. He continues his streak of having at least a shorthanded goal each season he has been on the Marlies, and it has come early for him this time. It won’t shock me to see him on this star list every month for his style of play.
October has been good for the Marlies, but as they say, it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish, and the Marlies need to keep this momentum up. They are getting great performances from their forwards to their goaltending, and if they can keep these trends they have shown to start the 2024-25 season, we could be in for a hell of a showing for the rest of the season.
