The Toronto Maple Leafs desperately need to thank their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate for helping fill holes in their lineup. The Maple Leafs have been hit with two bugs so far this season. The flu and injury bug has ripped through the locker room quickly. Somehow, though, the Maple Leafs have hung on and continue to grind out victories and collect points.
Yes, the main stars of the team have shown up this season. As well as players like Matthew Knies, Max Domi, and Tyler Bertuzzi, there has been a good supporting cast. But we have to give credit where it’s due, that is, to the AHL call-ups that have joined the team and played as well as they possibly could. There are around five or six call-ups that have meshed with the Maple Leafs to get them to where they are now. So, let’s talk about them and give them their flowers.
William Lagesson
Let’s start with one of the first call-ups from the Marlies, William Lagesson. Surprisingly, he has held his own and made an excellent impression on the team and fan base. He is a very simple player, which is most likely why he has done so well. He makes the smart play when clearing the puck out of the zone and also protects his goalie and the slot very well. He also has offensive abilities and makes a strong first pass to the forwards on the breakout. I talked about this in a previous article: teams that win the Cup typically have eight or nine serviceable defencemen, and Lagesson helps the Maple Leafs achieve that.
Unfortunately, when Mark Giordano returns from injury, it’ll mean less playing time for him. But it seems that Lagesson is going to try his best to be in the conversation for the team’s seventh defenceman. If not, he could be re-assigned to the AHL with the Marlies, where he will log top-pairing minutes. The hope is that if he is re-assigned to the AHL, he can keep up his play and be ready to be called on when the Maple Leafs need him in the future. Lagesson’s stat line this season in the NHL is three assists in 19 games, as well as 32 hits and 28 blocks.
Simon Benoit
Simon Benoit and Lagesson deserve to be in the NHL with their play this season, even if it’s not with the Maple Leafs. He has been as advertised when the team announced the signing. He is a physical defenceman, who puts his body on the line to help his team win. Unfortunately, he is in the same situation that Lagesson is in; eventually, the spots will be filled, and they will need to fight to stay with the team. This will mean at least one of them will return to the Marlies and continue playing there.
Related: Maple Leafs Weekly: Flu Bug, Goalie Competition, Knies & More
Benoit has been a trusted penalty killer for head coach Sheldon Keefe because he battles to break up the opposition’s cycle. He does this well; he uses his body and forces his man to make mistakes. He draws comparisons to Ilya Lyubushkin when he was with the Maple Leafs. So far this season, Benoit hasn’t registered a point in 15 games in the NHL, but that isn’t his role; however, he does have 24 blocks and 42 hits. If he is given the chance to appear in more games, he can reach up to 200-plus hits. Last season with the Anaheim Ducks, he had 216 hits in 78 games.
Martin Jones
At the beginning of the season, pretty much everyone in the NHL thought that Martin Jones was going to be claimed off waivers. Thankfully, he wasn’t, and he reported to the Marlies, awaiting his call from the Maple Leafs. Well, that call came, and he appeared in relief of starting goalie Joseph Woll when he went down with an ankle injury. He also beat the New York Rangers 7-3 and shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-0 for a 3-1 record. He also carries a .930 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.55 goals-against average (GAA).
He has played so well that fans of the team are wondering what this means for Ilya Samsonov, who has struggled this season. It is always nice to have a veteran backup for a young goalie like Woll. However, it is also good to challenge him with another NHL-level goalie. The Maple Leafs now have two in Jones and Samsonov, meaning that they do have some questions to answer internally. However, for now, Jones is playing very well and deserves praise for helping the club win games.
Nick Robertson
Nick Robertson has finally arrived on the scene, and it seems like he is here to stay. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued his career, which has always kept him out of the NHL. But this season, he was given a chance and hasn’t looked back. He has found a solid home on the Maple Leafs’ third line alongside Domi and Calle Jarnkrok; together, they have given the Maple Leafs depth scoring, something that they have been missing consistently for some time. This season, he set a new career high in games played with 18 and every game after that, he will continue to add to it. This has to be a good feeling for him, especially after injuries have drastically slowed his development.
Related: Rumours Link Maple Leafs to 3 Middle-Six Forwards
In those 18 games, he has three goals and six assists for nine points, which is also a career-high for him. He is currently on a 40-point pace, which will only boost his confidence and help the Maple Leafs. Keefe has allowed Robertson time on the second power-play unit, which allows him to shoot the puck more. He has a very good release, which should be recognized by the coaching staff, and subsequently, he should be rewarded with more ice time when possible. I think I speak for most of Leafs Nation when I say that his performance this year and the simple fact that he has stayed healthy is a feel-good story this season.
Honourable Mentions: Bobby McMann & Pontus Holmberg
NHL teams that have a strong core typically use their AHL team when times get tough. This hasn’t been the case for the Maple Leafs in recent years. They usually don’t have the players to call up and help them grind out wins. But now they do, not only with these four players but with Bobby McMann, Pontus Holmberg, and many more. They have one of the best scorers in the AHL right now with Alex Steeves, and he is just gaining experience. However, one day he’ll get the call, and he will step in and help the NHL team as well. Until then, the everyday NHL players, management, and fan base need to thank these AHL call-ups for helping the team carry on and make a run at the top seed in the Atlantic Division.
