The Leafs and Canadiens rivalry hits the AHL playoffs tonight and Toronto’s rebuild gets its biggest test yet
It's a Habs/Leafs rivalry reimagined on Wednesday as Laval and Toronto square off in Game One of the North Semi-Finals with all eyes on Toronto's prospects.
With the AHL Playoffs in full swing, the Maple Leafs and Canadiens affiliates are going head-to-head in a poetic clash that extends their century old rivalry to the minor league level. It's the first time they have faced off in a Calder Cup series since 2001, and with stakes as high as ever; it's going to be a grind.
On one side you have names like Easton Cowan, Dennis Hildeby, and Luke Haymes for the Marlies meanwhile the Rocket counter with some heavy hitters like Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, and Owen Beck so it's going to be a back and forth affair sure to leave fans on the edge of their seats.
Toronto's prospects will be under close watch as Game One kicks off AHL divisional semi-finals
But the focus needs to be not only on how the Marlies fare against the Rocket at the AHL level but it's also the perfect test for the prospects to show that they can pull through when it matters most.
You have a lot of fringe NHL players in the lineup, not to mention a few ones with some NHL experience so it's going to be a bit of an internal dogfight to rise in the depth chart. Cowan's spot is pretty much a given but you have a ton of other names who could fight for a spot:
- Bo Groulx
- Jacob Quillan
- Luke Haymes
- William Villeneuve
- Marshall Rifai
- Borya Valis
- Ryan Tverberg
- Jacob Quillan
- Luke Haymes
- William Villeneuve
- Marshall Rifai
- Borya Valis
- Ryan Tverberg
There's only a few spots in the lineup, so it's going to be up to these guys to take advantage of every opportunity.
Luckily though, the team has had success against the Rocket this season. Going 5-2-1-0, they managed to dominate though only outscored the Rocket 27-25, so they need to improve in that regard.
Toronto is likely going to call upon Dennis Hildeby, who was solid against Laval this year going 3-0-1-0 with a 2.43 GAA and .905 SV%, but they also have Artur Akhtyamov ready to go; he was 1-1-0-0 vs. Laval with a 2.52 GAA and .912 SV%.
Right now, the team is in a really good spot when it comes to facing the Rocket so they need to keep that momentum strong.
All eyes on Easton Cowan as he prepares for the 2026-27 season
The biggest focus for Toronto right now though is Cowan. Hoping that he can find some of his old OHL playoff dominance, if he can take the Marlies under his wing at 20 years old and lead them to the Calder Cup then he's going to not only endear himself to the fans but the coaches as well.
He's always been a winner, and for the Maple Leafs — a team who doesn't have a lot of those — Cowan is the antidote for the playoff poison that has plagued them for years. He admittedly wants to be more like Brandon Hagel and if you're trying to win a Cup you need those types of players.
Cowan can score 30 goals and have 85 points, that's not really up for debate but he's also willing to be a bit of a jerk on the ice and make opponents frustrated and as we've seen with the likes of Hagel and Brad Marchand; it's highly successful.
A strong postseason should translate into a strong training camp, and if the Maple Leafs are truly going through changes then we could see Cowan getting a huge opportunity up top.
For now though, his focus is on the Marlies and lifting the Calder Cup. For a guy who's won it all in junior, he's the best chance to get them to the top of the mountain.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Matthews and Nylander went to management with a specific demand and every Leafs fan needs to hear it
Matthews and Nylander went to management with a specific demand and every Leafs fan needs to hear it
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
1 HOUR AGO|39 ANSWERS The Leafs and Canadiens rivalry hits the AHL playoffs tonight and Toronto’s rebuild gets its biggest test yet Who do you think will win the series between the Rocket and Marlies? | ||