Toronto Maple Leafs: What You Need to Know for the Marlies Season

Expectations

So what should we be expecting from the Toronto Marlies this season?

With the caliber of players this team possesses, there is no reason the Marlies shouldn’t be making the Calder Cup Playoffs and going deep once again.

The roster will change over the course of the season, but this year the team is set up for success more than last.

A year ago, the Marlies were abysmal in goal to start the season. Once Michael Hutchinson was acquired to solve that problem, subtractions started to occur up front. Sam Gagner was recalled by Vancouver and traded, Trevor Moore was called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carl Grundstrom was sent out the door for Jake Muzzin.

This season, goaltending remains a slight question mark, but Kaskisuo is not being thrown into the starting gig like he was a year ago when Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney were both unexpectedly claimed on waivers. Up front, the Marlies are not leaning on a loanee in Gagner to provide veteran scoring. The likes of Kenny Agostino, Garrett Wilson, and Pontus Aberg, will all chip in to give the Marlies an offensive boost from last season.

Defensively, this team has a much different makeup with just one regular returning for the time being. Liljegren has proven to be a quality defender at this level and will only improve as the season goes on. Kivihalme is a bit of a wild card, but experienced defenders in Ben Harpur, Jordan Schmaltz, and Kevin Gravel will all solidify the Marlies defence.

Year in and year out, the Marlies are expected to contend. That does not change this season and the additions Kyle Dubas and Laurence Gilman have made have only strengthened the team from last year, making the Toronto Marlies once again a favourite for the Calder Cup.