This is my tenth season covering the Toronto Marlies at MLHS. It has the potential to be one of the most intriguing in my time watching the baby buds, so let’s dive straight into it.
There haven’t been wide-sweeping changes in the summer, but the farm has been upgraded overall.
The two notable departures are Kieffer Bellows (Nashville Predators) and Josiah Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes). Otherwise, Cameron Gaunce, Dylan Gambrell, Max Ellis, Dryden MacKay, and Luke Cavalin move on to accommodate new faces.
Steve Sullivan is the lone change on the staff, joining as an assistant coach after Rich Clune departed for an NHL bench in Anaheim. John Gruden takes the helm for his second season, and he has two interesting challenges ahead of him.
Gruden will have to implement system changes from the big club. It’ll be fascinating to watch if there is a significant style change from what we’ve been used to during Sheldon Keefe’s tenure and how long the transition will take.
Perhaps more crucially, Gruden has to manage a larger and substantially more talented roster.
Goaltending
The Marlies are certainly not short of goaltending options to begin the year. The opportunity knocked early in the season for Dennis Hildeby, who seized it with both hands to record a win in his NHL debut. Assuming Joseph Woll’s injury isn’t too serious, Hildeby will retain his number-one status with the Marlies upon his return, but there is stiff competition for playing time.
Without Matt Murray in the fold, Artur Akhtyamov would certainly be the backup and hugely impressed me in pre-season play. I foresee Vyacheslav Peksa’s reassignment to Cincinnati for ice time, given the log jam in the crease when Hildeby is reassigned, but for now, he is on the opening night roster.
The unknown is how Matt Murray and possibly Jon Gillies (PTO) fit into the equation. Murray has little to prove at the AHL level in terms of ability. It’s more about health/reps and rebuilding confidence in his body and form for the 30-year-old. At what point might the organization feel that Murray receiving playing time is holding back the development of the young prospects?
Much will probably depend on Joseph Woll’s health and Anthony Stolarz’s performance a level above.
Defensemen
The blue line is as congested as the net, and unlike in previous seasons, it should be a strength for the Marlies this season.
Topi Niemelä, Marshall Rifai, William Villeneuve, and Mikko Kokkonen project to be the top four. Rookies Cade Webber and Nicolas Mattinen will fight for ice time, along with Tommy Miller, Jacob Bengtsson, and Matteo Pietroniro. Rhett Parsons and Chas Sharpe have been reassigned to Cincinnati, and with ten defensemen on the opening night roster, I expect Matt Anderson will join them.
Once off LTIR, Dakota Mermis will add more depth and experience to the blue line. Depending on how the Leafs‘ defense core has shaken out in the meantime in terms of health and performance, his stint in the AHL might be lengthy or fleeting.
Forwards
The forward group could feature up to eight new faces.
Jacob Frasca, Mathieu Gosselin, Marko Sikic, and Ty Voit will start the campaign in the ECHL. Don‘t be surprised if the latter earns himself a prompt recall, given his talent.
Braeden Kressler earned a spot on the roster with an impressive pre-season performance, producing a four-point haul (1G/3A). Sam Stevens also earned a spot with Matthew Barbolini, but I believe both will end up in the ECHL once the roster is whittled down.
The leadership group will comprise captain Logan Shaw, Joseph Blandisi, and Kyle Clifford (AHL deal).
The forward group has many interesting storylines, beginning with Nick Abruzzese and Alex Steeves. Neither is close to breaking the NHL barrier (at least in Toronto) and will seek to prove management wrong.
Much will be expected of Alex Nylander offensively, and rightly so. It’s how he performs defensively that I’ll be keeping a keen eye on.
With a KHL championship already to his name, Nikita Grebyonkin is not your stereotypical rookie. After a strong camp with the Leafs, expectations are very high, but I think he’ll be eased into life in the AHL. I project him playing LW on a third line comprising Cédric Paré and Joseph Blandisi — a trio capable of bringing a little bit of everything to the table.
Robert Mastrosimone and Zach Solow are not household names, but both are coming off strong seasons and hoping to build on it this year. The same applies to Jacob Quillan, who made a strong impression in ten games at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Roni Hirvonen recovering from a horrendous eye injury and returning to the ice last year was a success in itself. He’ll now have his sights set on becoming a regular top-six forward and moving up the depth chart.
The story of last season was Ryan Tverberg, the standout performer for the Marlies, rookie or not. After the end of his campaign was cruelly cut short by injury, the focus is on proving his rookie campaign was not a fluke nor dependant on a dynamic partnership with the departed Kieffer Bellows.
It was unfortunate to see Fraser Minten incur an injury that denied him the opportunity to start the campaign, which made it much more likely the rookie will start this season with the Marlies. Who knows, though — it might be a blessing in disguise for his long-term development.
New season, higher expectations
The 2023-24 season was ultimately a disappointment for the Toronto Marlies. After stumbling into the last playoff berth, Toronto exited at the first attempt against an average Belleville outfit that was easily swept aside in the following round.
If the current roster isn’t decimated by call-ups or injury, Toronto’s expectations have to be far higher, given its depth in every position.
The Marlies’ home form was decidedly average last season (15-14-7), but they have a chance to rectify that early in the upcoming campaign. Toronto plays five of its first six games at Coca-Cola Coliseum and has a five-game homestand in the second half of November.
If the Marlies fail to make hay at home early, life will become problematic in the new year. After playing six of ten road games in December, Toronto will play ten games on the road from January 10 to February 1. The Marlies will visit Syracuse, Utica, Manitoba, Bakersfield, San Jose, and San Diego.
After playing San Diego twice at home to open their campaign, Toronto faces divisional opponents in nine of the following eleven games. In short, a fast start to the season is imperative.
The Marlies’ depth will provide insurance during a congested start. Toronto has a docket of seven games in fifteen days, including a three-in-three weekend.
Potential opening night lineup
Given the expanded nature of the roster to begin the season, projecting an opening night line-up isn’t the most straightforward task. Let’s attempt for the sheer hell of it.
Nick Abruzzese – Logan Shaw – Alex Nylander
Alex Steeves – Roni Hirvonen – Ryan Tverberg
Nikita Grebyonkin – Cédric Paré – Joseph Blandisi
Kyle Clifford – Zach Solow – Robert Mastrosimone
Jacob Quillan
Matthew Barbolini
Braden Kressler
Sam Stevens
Mikko Kekkonen – Topi Niemelä
Marshall Rifai – William Villeneuve
Cade Webber – Nicolas Mattinen
Tommy Miller
Jacob Bengtsson
Matteo Pietroniro
Matt Murray
Artur Akhtyamov
Vyacheslav Peksa
