Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll have shown dependable NHL-level goaltending, while Dennis Hildeby impressed during his time with the Maple Leafs. Prospect Artur Akhtyamov is gaining attention with the Toronto Marlies after a successful AHL season featuring a 21-12-4 record, a 2.88 GAA, and a .904 save percentage, plus an AHL All Star appearance. His playoff performance has been stronger, with a .922 save percentage and a 2.18 GAA across 11 games as Toronto prepares for the Western Conference Final against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Akhtyamov’s results could affect how Toronto approaches goaltending this summer, especially with Hildeby losing his waiver exemption next season.
"“A lot of people around the league are noticing...the NHL combine begins this weekend in Buffalo, everybody's gonna be there, and I think this is where the conversations are really going to begin. I think Toronto is gonna be asked what they're thinking in goal. They've got four guys, you mentioned the two in the AHL, and they obviously have the two guys in the NHL with Woll and Stolarz. Toronto has done better than I think a lot of people in the AHL expected, I don't know how many people expected them to beat Laval, and I don't know how many people expected them to beat Cleveland, but they have, and he's a major, major part of that.”"
"Akhtyamov had a successful season in the American Hockey League, playing to a record of 21-12-4 along with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.88 and a save percentage (SV%) of .904 along with an appearance at the AHL All Star Game. But it wasn't until the playoffs when he started to really catch people's attention. With the Marlies set to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Western Conference Final, Akhtyamov has a .922 SV% and a 2.18 GAA in 11 games so far."
"As 32 Thoughts co-host Kyle Bukauskas noted, the main factor that will throw a wrench into things is the fact that Hildeby loses his waiver exemption next season. The next step will depend on how new general manager John Chayka values their goaltenders, because if they do"
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