Ahead of the start of the Calder Cup Final on Friday, Toronto Marlies GM Ryan Hardy discussed the team’s playoff success, John Gruden’s coaching work, Artur Akhtyamov’s superb postseason play, Easton Cowan and Ben Danford’s development, and working with the Leafs’ new management group.
How fun has this run been for you?
Hardy: Oh, it’s awesome. We have a great group of guys and a lot of people who have been here for a handful of years building this thing. For them to experience this — and for their families to experience it — is really exciting.
The goal when putting an AHL team together is to make it to the Calder Cup Final. What were your expectations coming into the season, though?
Hardy: At this level, the goal is always to, first and foremost, create the best environment you can to develop players. We always start with that as the true north.
When did I know we had a team that could compete? I would say last year’s Fourth of July. I looked at the board, and we had a lot of names but only 23 spots up for grabs up top. If we weren’t crushed on waivers, I knew we would have some good players and a team that could play any way you wanted to play it.
It was a little different in the beginning, like when [David Kampf] came down, and we had a lot of veterans — too many veterans. I think we had 10 guys for six spots. That created some challenges, but once we got going and got everybody in the right chair, we were off and running.
How helpful is it to have the heft of the Maple Leafs behind the Marlies organization, and the AHL team playing in Toronto, to recruit players who could maybe be in the NHL somewhere but like it here?
Hardy: Certainly, the resources and the way the players are treated here make it an attractive place to come and play.
Logan Shaw, for example, had a two-year contract on the table in the NHL when he first came here. It was a two-way contract. He asked for a third year. He said, “I have a young family, and I would like stability for my family.” When we signed him — and it is rare to have a three-year AHL contract, especially for a guy you don’t know — it was for the purpose of him becoming the captain of the Marlies to help us create an environment where we didn’t have turnover year after year in our veteran leadership. We could create an ecosystem that had consistent leadership. For him, it has been that.
For all of these other guys, the resources are great. The way the players are treated is great. It is a world-class city. For a lot of players, too, with families, there are seven or eight teams where you can live in the same town or close enough by that if you are called up or sent down, you can still go home to your family. That is an attractive piece, too.
When the playoffs started, it looked like it would be a good split in net between Artur Akhtyamov and Dennis Hildeby. It started that way for a bit. What has allowed Artur to really pull away and become the guy for you?
Hardy: Like anything, development isn’t linear. The times when things happen are how they happen. If you look at Dennis’ season in the AHL, it was a little chaotic because he played so much in the NHL. But he did a phenomenal job playing for the Leafs in the 20 games or whatever that he played.
We always had a bit of a platoon down here. That is how we viewed the development of the goalies to make sure they were both getting enough. We started that way in the playoffs, kind of going back and forth, and eventually, the coaching staff felt like they wanted to ride Artie for a couple of games. And then the momentum started to build.
Our belief in Dennis is still massive. He is an incredible goalie. As we all know how this goes, we may very well see him at some point in the next seven games. He may have a large bit to say about the outcome of this playoff.
Artie has done a phenomenal job. I would say we don’t get through Cleveland without him. We don’t get through Wilkes without him. Some of those saves he made, even in overtime the other night… He is feeling it. Ride it ’til it bucks you, I guess.
What has impressed you about the job John Gruden has done behind the bench? With goaltending as an example, it can be tricky to manage it all. It seems like he has pushed the right buttons.
Hardy: It is a hard league, first of all, to coach in. You are always serving two masters: development and having the players prepared. To me, you always want to have a competitive environment for players to develop in.
Throughout the regular season, there is never a game that we are putting a lineup together for the sole purpose of winning and deploying the players just to win. It is always about trying to get younger guys maybe a little bit more than maybe merit says, to give them the opportunity to learn and grow.
My view is that in the playoffs, the veteran players and the coaches all sacrificed throughout the years in wins and losses. A lot of the time, that goes on the back burner. My view is that when in the playoffs, you give the team back to the team and the coaches. John has had full autonomy with the lineup.
There have been a lot of decisions he has made in games or in situations, or even calls on the goalie, that have proven to be correct so far. Hopefully, he can have the same fortune for another seven games.
Given the change within the Leafs management, has this been an opportunity for the players to show the new group what they can do as well?
Hardy: Yeah. Obviously, Mats has always followed the team forever, and John as well. John is from here and knows the team well. I don’t think anything that happened at the end of the season, with the players going up, was missed by those guys. That being said, when you come down here and the team has success, the further we can go, the more opportunity there is for those guys to showcase themselves to our management and, really, to management around the league to let people know how good these players are.
A lot of them, who had not had the opportunity to go up there in their prior time, went up and did a nice job at the end of the season. They kind of demonstrated they can play in the NHL and can be impactful players here, perhaps next year and even longer term after that. It is all positive. I think the new group coming in only sees it as a positive.
What has it been like getting to know John Chayka and Mats Sundin and working with them so far?
Hardy: It has been awesome. Like anything — and this is the second time I’ve been through this here with a full management change — there is always an unknown. You hear this or that, and you try to forecast what that is going to be.
I had met Mats a bit before. He had popped in from time to time.
I really can’t say enough good things about those guys. I have been really impressed with the communication, the plan, and the process. John is obviously a brilliant guy who has had a lot of success even outside of the hockey business. He has a lot of knowledge about the game.
To get Mats back in here and start to really reconnect to the history of the team and the teams of the past — and to have such a prominent and respected alum in such an important position within the organization — is awesome for the players, awesome for the Leafs, and awesome for our city.
How do you assess Easton Cowan’s playoff? What do you think it will do for his development?
Hardy: I think maybe the signature moment of this process for Easton was what happened the other night in Wilkes-Barre when he turned the puck over. He came out here, took it, owned it, and said, “I cost my team the game. I have to be better.” He came out in Game 5, and he was better.
Cowboy is a good nickname for him. Sometimes, with the puck, he has some unique gifts and special traits. For us, we try to give him the freedom to demonstrate those things. We don’t want to suffocate that. As he matures and grows, he will learn when to manage the puck in situations and when not to.
He is an incredible talent. He is an incredible kid. They all have playoff beards, and he doesn’t because he can’t grow one. He is a kid who is going to have a massive impact on this organization over the next 10-15 years. What he’s made of is what we want a lot of guys to be.
What has allowed Ben Danford to step into the AHL, hit the ground running in the playoffs, and provide solid minutes for you guys?
Hardy: For Benny, it has been really impressive. With forwards, you have 12 of them, and you can hide them. For a defenseman, there are six. There is nowhere to hide.
I am sure he was disappointed; Spencer Hyman had put together a great team in Brantford, and we all thought they would probably go to the Memorial Cup. I am sure there was some disappointment, just with the expectations they had.
For him to come and get dropped in here, and have such a quick turnaround… As we knew when we drafted him, it was viewed a little bit as, “This is an interesting pick, and what is the offensive upside of this guy?” But I think, at that time, we were betting on the competitiveness and the intelligence, which he has in spades. His character is off the charts.
When you see him out here, he is more confident with the puck than maybe people give him credit for. I think there is a good puck game from a transitional perspective. He has a lot of confidence. He is a smart, competitive player who loves hockey and loves being part of the team.
I also think he has done a great job in that it is hard to come in as a highly-touted kid from junior, join a team of pros who have been together all year, and assimilate right away. He has had the reverence to defer to the older guys, learn, and be a part of it. He has made our team a lot better since he got here.
How much is the FIFA World Cup messing with everything around the arena?
Hardy: It is a little bit crazy right now, but for the city and for Canadians, it is awesome to have the World Cup here, bring the world stage to Toronto, and showcase our city. It is a little chaotic, but I think the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Once we get into the building, it is 60 minutes of hockey, and if overtime is required, it is required. It will be business as usual.
