Toronto Maple Leafs: Marlies’ Quest for the Calder Cup is On

The Toronto Maple Leafs are knee-deep in a playoff series, but it’s important to remember the Toronto Marlies are just getting theirs started.

It’s a great time to be a Toronto hockey fan. Instead of counting down the days until the draft lottery or over-analyzing draft rankings, fans can tune in and watch their team battle in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t the only source for playoff hockey in Southern Ontario at the moment.

If you head down to the Exhibition at Ricoh Coliseum, the Toronto Marlies have started their playoff series against the Albany Devils. When asked by Marlies TV about the tempo of their first post-season practice, Marlies’ coach Sheldon Keefe said:

"The playoffs are something the guys have been looking forward to. Obviously we’ve been through a lot as a team where playoffs were not always a certainty for us. But over the last while certainly our have felt that they’re ready for playoff hockey."

A part of you might be saying, “So what?”, and that part is half right. When the Leafs were already concerned with draft lottery simulations last year, the Marlies were battling for the Calder Cup.

The main contributors on that team are players you’re currently watching with the Leafs. William Nylander, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, Zach Hyman, and Connor Carrick were all on that team last year. Despite not playing in a while, Josh Leivo and Nikita Soshnikov were also main stayers on the Marlies.

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The expectations for this year’s Marlies team were high considering they made the Conference Final the year before. Just like the adult club, the Marlies had their fair share of rookies. Andrew Nielsen, Travis Dermott, Andreas Johnson, Trevor Moore and Dmytro Timashov were entering their first year as pros.

In their first 10 games, the Marlies went 8-1-1. Nice start to the season considering some of their main point-getters graduated to the NHL. It also helped that goaltender Antoine Bibeau was named goalie of the month in October, going 5-0-1 with two shutouts and a .944 save percentage.

A rough December had the Marlies fall out of a division-leading spot, losing nine out of 12 games. It couldn’t be pinpointed on one thing.

Injuries, goaltending, and settling in were all to blame for the slide. Speaking to Marlies.ca after a frustrating loss to the Albany Devils at the end of December, Keefe said:

"We have to compete all the way through, we have to respond well when we give up a goal, we can’t let things snowball. We just need to be a lot more competitive. Teams aren’t going to lay down and let you find your way out of it, you have to earn your way out by being competitive"

Fortunately the Marlies had a hot end of the season and were able to clinch a playoff spot. A couple of winning streaks allowed the team to rise in the standings and finish second in the Atlantic Division.

Seth Griffith looked like the Paul Byron of the AHL with 44 points, after being claimed off waivers. Kerby Rychel started to find his game with the new team, after being traded at the draft last year.

Goaltender Garret Sparks also hit a new level this season, going 21-5-9 with a .922 save percentage. And for a bonus, those rookies that seemed to struggle a little bit early on found some stability.

Now we find ourselves in Round One. The Marlies are taking on the team that knocked them out last year in the playoffs. Game 1 didn’t end the way they wanted, losing 3-0 to the Albany Devils Thursday night.

Never fear though. Like the Leafs, the Marlies always seem to come back from tough bouts.

So while you’re cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs from home, the ACC, or Maple Leafs Square, don’t forget about that team down at Ricoh. With how well these young players have been this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of them on the Leafs in the next two years.

Watch a game. Become acquainted with a player that you’re familiar with.

Leafs fan favourite Freddie the Goat is still on the team. Or pay attention to a player you’ve never had an opportunity to watch.

The Marlies recently signed Leafs 2015 fourth round pick Jesper Lindgren to an Amateur Try-Out. If you were following that draft and wondering why the Leafs took him, now’s your chance.

https://twitter.com/FutureOfThe6/status/836583082719330304

Next: Auston Matthews Nominated for Calder Trophy

Although this team doesn’t look as terrifying as last year’s, they can still do damage in this playoff run. Perhaps they can even succeed where Nylander and company failed.