Toronto Marlies captain Logan Shaw celebrated his Calder Cup win in Nova Scotia and had some pretty big company as Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand showed up too.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs didn't really have a successful season in 2025-26, the same could not be said for the Toronto Marlies, who managed to persevere and come out on top with a Calder Cup victory - taking down the Chicago Wolves in five games.
Backed by an MVP performance from Artur Akhtyamov and some strong offensive showings from William Villeneuve, Vinni Lettieri, and Easton Cowan at least the junior Leafs were able to give fans something to cheer about, and helped showcase a bit of what the future might look like.
A big part of that team though no doubt was the captain, Logan Shaw. Someone who doesn't mind taking the leadership role for an AHL team, Shaw has been the backbone of the team for the last several seasons, and he deserves his flowers for helping to rally a group of veterans and rookies to come through in the end.
Logan Shaw gets some NHL royalty to gather as he celebrates his Calder Cup win
Much like the Stanley Cup, players in the AHL get a chance to enjoy the Calder Cup and for Shaw, that meant going back to Nova Scotia and bringing it home.
Shaw had a celebration involving the Cup where friends and family could all enjoy in the festivities, but beyond that, a few keen eyes fans noticed there was some pretty important company joining him - even if they didn't want to be in the spotlight.
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Both Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand are well-known in Nova Scotia considering they are two of the greatest players to come out of the province, and it was a class act to show up and help Shaw celebrate this obviously important milestone.
Though Shaw hasn't played in the NHL since 2021-22, he's been the Marlies captain the last four seasons and has accumulated 223 points in 277 games with the team. He immediately stepped in as leader when he arrived in 2022-23 while adding 30 points in 36 playoff contests over the last four years.
The Marlies are a young group but Shaw is the veteran leader who keeps them in check
While the Marlies do have a few veterans in their ranks like Reese Johnson, Marc Johnstone, Lettieri, Dakota Mermis and Matt Benning - a lot of their team is 25 or younger. The team needs someone who has been through the rigours of a long career, and Shaw is a great mentor.
Not only is he someone who consistently brings the offence and is a critical part of the team on the ice, it's off the ice where he also shines. He's a leader in the community, is always front and centre of any media or charity appearances, and you can tell he treats this more than just a job.
When you have names like Miroslav Holinka, Ben Danford, Tinus Luc Koblar and many others who are looking to make the leap in a couple seasons, they need someone who they can trust in the locker room when they have questions or need advice; but also a guy on the ice who can cover for their shortcomings as they learn.
It's why Shaw is not only a vital part of the Marlies' success this past season, but is going to be vital to the future of the Maple Leafs prospects given that he's the perfect person to guide them on their journey.
Should the Toronto Maple Leafs give Logan Shaw a chance at the NHL level?
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