The by-product of the Toronto Maple Leafs living in win-now mode since 2017 has been a lack of vaunted prospects developing in the AHL.

The Toronto Marlies class of 2024-25 featured few rookie prospects worth getting excited about. Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin, the two most promising first-year players, were traded in win-now deadline deals. 

It was left to Jacob Quillan, an NCAA free agent pickup in 2024, to lead the way. In fairness to the centerman, he produced a promising first season after a slow start and was my second star of what was ultimately a disappointing campaign for the farm team.  

The following rookie evaluations are in no particular order and contain players on both NHL and AHL contracts.

Luke Haymes (NHL) 9 Games / 2 Goals / 4 Assists / 6 Points

Haymes was undoubtedly the feel-good story late in the season.

Alex Drain’s feature on Haymes at the time of the signing did an excellent job of summarizing the player. He played with no fear in his AHL debut and carried himself as though he’d been with the team all season.

Some of that likely comes down to how well his no-nonsense brand of hockey, with a high work rate and attention to detail on both sides of the puck, translates to the pro game. More often than not, Haymes made the percentage play offensively and did not fall into the trap of always deferring to a veteran linemate. 

Come the last game of the season (essentially a dead-rubber match against Rochester), Haymes showcased his offensive skills with a three-point haul (1G/2A).

Considering his lack of NCAA experience (83 games) and age (just 21 years old), I think there is much more to come from the Ottawa native. His first exposure to professional hockey reminds me of the initial impact Jacob Quillan made, and I believe Haymes possesses higher upside.

Artur Akhtyamov (NHL) 11-8-4 / 2.81 GAA / 3 SO / .901SV%

In the first half of the season, the Russian netminder was one of the star performers on the Marlies. Akhtyamov won eight of his first nine games, recording a .929 save percentage and posting two shutouts.

After sustaining an injury early in January, the rookie goaltender was never quite the same in terms of his level of performance or confidence. He featured in just five of the final 21 games of the season as the coaching staff leaned heavily on Dennis Hildeby and Matt Murray to carry the load down the stretch. That seemed odd after four starts through February in which Akhtyamov excelled with a .954 save percentage, including a 34-save shutout against the offensively talented Rochester Americans.

Akhtyamov competes as hard as any young netminder I’ve watched, but he can also be chaotic. He has quick reflexes and often pulls off spectacular saves in tight situations with that skill. He enjoys playing the puck and is comfortable in that facet, but he needs to improve his decision-making.

It wasn’t an easy season behind a Marlies team that often shot itself in the foot defensively, but the pros outweighed the cons for Akhtyamov in his first North American season.

Cade Webber (NHL) 60 Games / 1 Goal / 6 Assists / 7 Points

Technically, the AHL does not consider Cade Webber a rookie even though it was his first season as a professional.

Webber was as described on the cover: A shot-blocking machine who carved himself a role as an essential member of the penalty kill. 

His skating is fine for someone his size, but it’s an aspect he’ll need to work on, along with the ability to distribute the puck efficiently. More often than not, Webber would either look to offload possession to a more gifted partner or chip the puck off the wall.

Webber doesn’t impose himself physically as much as you would like for a player of his size (6’7, 212 pounds), but he’s certainly not as timid as Frederik Gauthier was during his time here.

It can be difficult to get too enthused about a limited defensive defenseman. However, big-bodied defensemen often take extra time to develop, and if the 24-year-old can smooth off the rough edges in his game, there could be bottom pair/penalty kill potential at the NHL level.

Matthew Barbolini (AHL) 51 Games / 4 Goals / 10 Assists / 14 Points

The Miami University graduate earned his spot on the opening night roster before suffering an early setback. A high-ankle sprain put the forward out for five weeks, and he was playing catch-up from that point on.

Barbolini played primarily in the bottom six and performed his role as a power forward to good effect. When he’s not driving the net off the rush, he wins battles around the boards and below the goal line, where he produced the majority of his offense.

I felt his production was hindered by bouncing around the lineup, especially late in the season. Barbolini found himself in the top six on occasion, attempting to be the worker bee for more gifted linemates. Disappointingly, it wasn’t an experiment that John Gruden was prepared to give much rope, although I felt Barbolini acquitted himself well.

He enters the second year of his AHL deal next season and, given a purposeful role, I would not be surprised if Barbolini takes a step or two forward in his development in 2025-26. 

Sam Stevens (AHL) 21 Games / 2 Goals / 2 Assists / 4 Points

An upper-body injury curtailed a frustrating rookie campaign for Stevens.

I wasn’t overly impressed by the Boston University graduate, who only stood out positively in a pair of games against the San Jose Barracuda. Of similar stature but lacking the build of Barbolini, Stevens plays a similar style, albeit from the center position.

Braeden Kressler (NHL) 13 Games / 0 Goals / 2 Assists / 2 Points

The Kitchener native struggled to find his feet early in the season and was reassigned to Cincinnati. On a Cyclones team that struggled mightily, Kressler produced 22 points (9G/13A) in 25 games.

There were moments at the AHL level in which Kressler showed his offensive prowess from junior, but they were fleeting. I enjoyed that he didn’t back away from confrontation despite his size. He’s a tenacious player, which will stand him in good stead for the sophomore campaign. There will be a spot available at the center position for him to earn in Marlies training camp this coming Fall.

Chas Sharpe (AHL) 4 Games / 0 Points

It was a big season in the ECHL for Sharpe, who was nominated for the Midwestern all-star team and named to the ECHL All-Rookie team. Amongst all defensemen, he led the league in goals (25) and ranked seventh in points (46).

The weapon that is his booming right-handed slap shot is something we didn’t witness at the AHL level. It wasn’t a shock to see him in a bottom pair with limited minutes, but the fact that he wasn’t allowed to show what he could add to a struggling power play was a little odd.

Sharpe’s steady defensive play with the Marlies was a pleasant surprise. He was poised in possession and made simple breakout plays, which, given his experience and deployment, was just what the doctor ordered. 

John Prokop (NHL) 3 Games / 0 Points

Last but not least is John Prokop, who made a very strong impression in his debut. It came on the road against Belleville, a game the Senators had to win, and they threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Toronto in the opening frame.

Prokop weathered that early storm and grew into the game, making two excellent defensive plays to break up a 2v1 and a partial breakaway. John Gruden even saw fit to hand him power-play duties on the second unit.

Remarkably, Prokop was then entrusted with top-pair minutes in the next two games alongside Dakota Mermis (vs. Utica) and Matt Benning (vs. Syracuse), respectively. I wonder in hindsight if Gruden regretted giving the rookie those huge assignments. He fared okay against Utica but found himself vastly outmatched in a poor Toronto performance against the Crunch. An injury sustained against Syracuse resulted in a premature end to his season.

Prokop’s size stands out, but compared to a Cade Webber, he looked far more comfortable in possession and showed a good deal of confidence when moving the puck on the power play. 

Other Rookies

Ryan Kirwan (AHL) 2 Games / 1 Assist / 1 Point
Borya Valis (NHL) 2 Games / 0 Points
Blake Smith (NHL) 1 Game / 0 Points
Jacob Bengtsson (AHL) 2 Games / 0 Points
Mathieu Gosselin (AHL) 1 Game / 0 Points
Marko Sikic (AHL) 4 Games / 0 Points

I’ve grouped these players as I’ve no insight to offer on them due to a lack of games and ice time. I expect Kirwan, Valis, and Smith to fight for spots on the AHL roster at Marlies training camp.

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