With three games remaining in the 2015-16 regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs only have their place in the NHL standings to determine, while the Toronto Marlies have high expectations of playing into late spring.
The Maple Leafs called up most of the core group of their AHL affiliate at the February 29th trade deadline, giving youngsters William Nylander, Zach Hyman, Nikita Soshnikov, Rinat Valiev, Connor Brown (recalled in early March on an emergency basis) and others valuable experience, but have systematically begun returning them back to the Marlies to get acclimated to the American Hockey League.
Hyman, Brown, Valiev, Connor Carrick and veteran Ben Smith were returned last week, Soshnikov and defenseman Viktor Loov on Monday.
Rookies Nylander, Tobias Lindberg, Kasperi Kapanen, Frederik Gauthier, veterans TJ Brennan, Andrew Campbell and Rich Clune and goaltender Garret Sparks could be returned before the Leafs season finale in New Jersey on Saturday depending on injured players Leo Komarov or Peter Holland being able to return.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe has had a very challenging yet successful rookie campaign, leading the Marlies to a league-best 50-15-5 record while juggling a constantly evolving lineup due to a slew of injuries and transactions with the parent club.
Keefe has used 54 players this season (including eight goaltenders) and will have many options entering the Calder Cup Playoffs, but will not be totally reliant on young prospects like Nylander and Brown to carry the load.
The Marlies have the advantage of players who possess significant AHL and NHL playoff experience, including Brennan, Smith, Clune, Campbell, Mark Arcobello, Josh Leivo, Sam Carrick and Matt Frattin.
Sparks will likely be given the reins once the post-season begins, in spite of Antoine Bibeau playing a club-high 36 games this season.
The 22-year-old Elmhurst, IL native has struggled in his second stint with the Leafs, but has a 13-4-3 record with the Marlies and leads the club in save percentage(.925) and shutouts (3).
Bibeau has a 25-8-1 record, but has been inconsistent in his sophomore season. Barring injury, it is unlikely that veteran Alex Stalock or NCAA product Kasimir Kaskisuo will see any action. On defense, Scott Harrington is out for the season, but Toronto has Brennan, Campbell, Carrick, Valiev, Stuart Percy and Justin Holl available and could have Loov back from the undisclosed injury that has kept him out since late February.
AHL vet David Kolomatis could be in the mix, as well as 19-year-old prospect Andrew Nielsen, who signed an amateur tryout contract on the weekend after a 70 point season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL.
Nylander and Arcobello will center the top two lines, with Carrick and Gauthier in checking roles. Brown, Leivo, Soshnikov, Hyman, Kapanen, Clune, Frattin, Lindberg, Brett Findlay, Brendan Leipsic, deadline acquisitions Colin Smith and Ben Smith (who can play both wing and center) provide scoring depth on all four forward lines.
The Marlies could also utilize players who become available if their teams are eliminated from the CHL Playoffs. 2015 top pick Mitch Marner(London), second rounders Travis Dermott(Erie) and Jeremy Bracco(Kitchener), third rounder Martin Dzierkals(Rouyn-Noranda), fifth rounder Dmytro Timashov(Shawinigan) and sixth rounder Stephen Desrochers(Kingston) have all advanced to the second round in their respective leagues, while 2013 draft pick Andreas Johnson is currently playing for Frolunda in the SHL Playoffs.
This may not be a resource that the organization will choose to tap, but with Marner not eligible to play in the AHL next season, it may be a way to gauge how close the 19-year-old is to being ready for the NHL next season.
*******
Listen to the latest edition of “The Convo…, as CTV’s Norman James and myself discuss the seasons of Nazem Kadri and Steven Stamkos coming to an end and what the future may hold:
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information click here.