After Tuesday’s practice, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed goaltender Artur Akhtyamov’s strong playoff campaign, his comfort in rotating goalies, William Villeneuve’s productive postseason, and Ben Danford’s readiness to jump into the AHL playoffs.
Sometimes, it can be tricky to rotate goalies in the playoffs. So far, it’s working out well. Why do you think it has worked, and what is the process behind making those decisions?
Gruden: We do a lot of talking with everybody. It is a good problem to have. We talked about it since day one against Rochester. It is nice that they’re pushing each other. You can see the competition that it drives; it’s healthy competition. Again, it is one of our team’s strengths. We’re fortunate. I like making decisions when they’re tough ones. It is a luxury to have, for sure.
Artur Akhtyamov has put himself in the Leafs‘ conversation to a degree. What has allowed him to grow and shine in the playoffs?
Gruden: For one, he has done it in Russia. He won a championship. I don’t care what league it is in. He is a proven winner. The second thing is, it takes time. It is more of an east-west game over there. There is not as much at the net front. There are bigger ice surfaces. He has adapted.
I’ve said this since day one: He reminds me a lot of Ilya Sorokin. I had him on the Island when he first came over. They’re built very similarly, and the second thing is their competitiveness and ability to compete in practice all the time. They don’t like pucks going in the net. His ability to get across east-west so quickly; he is so fluid with his skating and his feet. It’s very similar. He is not trying to be [Sorokin] — he is just trying to be the best version of [himself] — but he is growing.
Again, Dennis has as well. Look what he did when he was with the Leafs, and he has been outstanding for us.
Artur joked that “he hates himself,” emphasizing that he is a perfectionist.
Gruden: You have to be a little bit of a perfectionist. You’ve got to hate to be scored on. But you also need a bit of a quarterback mentality. You have to let things go pretty quickly. I think he does do that. I don’t think it affects him. I don’t think it affects either one of them. You have to be able to find it, fix it, forget it, and move on.
What stands out about the way Artur has learned English, made it a priority, and is now doing interviews on camera?
Gruden: It makes a big difference. I am just going back to the time we played, and they knew nothing… until the paycheque came. “Oh, paycheque!” No, I am just kidding.
He is very intelligent. It is nice to be able to communicate with someone. I can’t imagine going to their country and trying to communicate it. Good for him.
Again, he is a cerebral guy. He knows what is going on. He is very astute to what is happening in his surroundings.
How has Dennis Hildeby handled the entire situation?
Gruden: He has been great. You just notice in practice when goalies make it hard for our guys to score. They do that. He has come into work every day. His work habits have not changed. Nothing has changed. He has been supportive.
At the back of his mind, I am sure no one doesn’t want the net, but at the same time, we keep on playing. Look at last night with Mackenzie Blackwood and Colorado. Things can happen.
Our group is in a good mindset, and our goalies are in a good mindset.
For the time being, will you just allow Ben Danford to get acclimated with some practices?
Gruden: He definitely looks comfortable. He has been around for a couple of camps now, which helps immensely. He was here at the beginning of the year when we went to Montreal. That helps.
It will take him some time to get used to it. It is important that he is with us now. Again, he is a huge part of this organization and a huge part of our group. I expect him to be a huge part as we continue to move forward.
How has Matt Benning looked in practice, and what would his return mean to the team?
Gruden: What he brings and what he does on the ice is one thing, but what he does in our locker room is another, along with Mermis, Shaw, Johnstone, and Johnson. We have a great group of older guys to mix with the younger.
He is just going to add more to it. He is supportive. He is an easy guy to play with. He has played over 500 games in the NHL, and he is a winner. He likes to be around the group.
He will just add another piece. It will help us grow. Hopefully, we don’t run into too many injuries, but at the end of the day, when we have to make tough choices, I am okay with that, given the depth we have right now.
What has stood out about William Villeneuve’s playoff campaign so far?
Gruden: I really like the way he has adapted. He has taken hits to make plays. He has grown a lot. As a defenseman, there is always that “oh crap” moment when you can see a guy really grow. He is starting to take that.
He is taking hits to make plays. He is growing his 200-foot game. He got a little taste of [the NHL], and he is bringing it down here. He is running with it. He is a big part of our hockey team, and you can see his confidence grow, for sure.
What did you hope to accomplish in today’s practice, and did you accomplish it?
Gruden: Yeah, I thought the energy was outstanding, and usually, when the energy is up, the execution is. Everyone was excited about practice. It was an important day for us to get ready and prepare for Cleveland.
