Marlies Update: Doing Slightly Better Than the Toronto Maple Leafs
By Andrew Kogut
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost again!
As the Toronto Maple Leafs keep finding ways to alienate and disappoint their long-suffering fanbase (the latest, a low shot-attempt, unacceptable loss against former Leaf Frederik Andersen and the team that beat them early last year with a 42-year-old emergency goaltender/team Zamboni driver), it may be prudent to shift focus away from the Leafs for a little while.
With that in mind, let’s check in on their Toronto Marlies AHL squad to get a glimpse of the waning light that, conceivably, must exist at the end of the seemingly endless tunnel.
The Marlies are currently 2-2 with 68 games remaining, and they have been outscored so far 15-11.
Toronto Marlies Check-In
The Toronto Marlies opened the season with a 5-1 spanking of the Manitoba Moose that featured strong performances from top prospect Nick Robertson (2 assists, 5 SOG, all stats from theahl.com) and offseason FA Joshua Ho-Sang (2 goals, including the eventual game-winner).
The Baby Leafs followed up that performance in typical Toronto Maple Leafs fashion, losing the next game to the Moose 5-0 followed by a 7-3 shellacking at the hands of the Rochester Americans.
Sunday night the Marlies managed a 3-2 SO win over the Cleveland Monsters, buoyed by a strong performance from goaltender Joseph Woll, who stopped 33 of 35 shots. The win evened the Marlies record to 2-2 on the season.
Notables performances on the farm:
- RW Joey Anderson, 23 (acquired from NJ for Andreas Johnsson)-2 goals, 3 points and 12 SOG in 4 games
- RW Joshua Ho-Sang, 25 (FA)- 2 goals and 7 SOG in 3 games
- C Brett Seney, 25 (FA)- 4 goals and 13 SOG in 4 games
- C Kirill Semyonov , 27 (FA signing out of the KHL)- 1 goal, 5 points and 12 SOG in 4 games
- LW Nick Robertson, 20 (2019 draft #53 overall)- 2 goals in 2 games
Unfortunately for Robertson, he suffered a broken fibula that should see him miss at least ten weeks. Robertson only played 21 games for the Marlies (and 6 for the Leafs) all of last season so it may take a little while until we see a healthy and seasoned Robertson in a full-time role on the big club.
Other notables Marlies
- 21-year-old Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, a 3rd-round Leafs pick, is a small, skilled centre who should see a prominent role this year. He has 2 assists in 4 games.
- 24-year-old defenseman Joseph Duszak, who earned a spot on the Marlies after attending the Leafs developmental camp in 2019, has 32 points in 52 AHL games for Toronto over the last three seasons. A stalwart in the NCAA from 2016-2019, Duszak is an intriguing, under-the-radar name.
- 20-year-old Mikhail Abramov, Leafs 4th-rounder. He hasn’t registered a point in 4 games but he is a talented, young centre seeing his first action in the AHL.
- 23-year-old goaltender Joseph Woll. A Leafs 3rd-rounder back in 2016, Woll hasn’t exactly impressed (3.54 GAA, .892 SV% last year) but he started his first game Sunday after returning from injury and led the Marlies to victory with a strong performance. He will take over starting duties from 25-year-old rookie Erik Källgren.
Upcoming Schedule
The Marlies head to Laval to take on their North Division rival Rocket Wednesday at 7:30 pm.
After playing their first four games at home, the Marlies play their next six of seven games away from the Coca-Cola Coliseum.