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The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of many deepest groups within the NHL this season – and that depth extends to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
After Leafs GM Brad Treliving called up center Alex Steeves on Monday on an emergency foundation, Toronto followers will see one of many promising children the workforce has invested in on the AHL stage.
That’s if the Leafs play Steeves. He is not anticipated to decorate on Tuesday in opposition to the Ottawa Senators, in keeping with The Hockey Information’ David Alter. However the Maple Leafs actually ought to give him a shot.
The 24-year-old Steeves at present leads the Marlies in targets (9) and factors (12), and he is additionally tied for third within the AHL for goal-scoring. Steeves’ present scoring tempo could be greater than sufficient to demolish his career-best AHL whole of 27 targets, which he set final season.
Like many younger Leafs prospects, Steeves should produce within the Maple Leafs’ bottom-six group of forwards, however he’s already proven he can thrive within the AHL. He deserves an sincere shot at proving he’s an NHL-level expertise while Max Pacioretty and Auston Matthews are injured.
That stated, Steeves isn’t the one Leafs prospect more likely to get a stint within the NHL this season. Different present Marlies who could possibly be recalled sooner or later this 12 months embody proper winger Alex Nylander (5 targets, eight factors), left winger Nikita Grebenkin (three targets, 9 factors) and left winger Nick Abruzzese (two targets, 4 factors).
Goaltending prospect Dennis Hildeby has already appeared in two video games for the Leafs whereas Joseph Woll was out. Whereas consistency was a difficulty for him, Hildeby ought to stay the go-to call-up if Stolarz or Woll are injured. In two AHL video games this season, he has a 1.93 goals-against common and .938 save share.
The Leafs have efficiently developed expertise to carry out on the NHL stage in recent times. Simply ask left winger Bobby McMann. Whereas this 12 months’s group of Toronto prospects may have a troublesome time cracking via the depth of the Leafs roster to earn an NHL spot, they may probably get a chance to make a reputation for themselves within the NHL.
To make sure, if Leafs left wingers Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson can stick within the NHL lineup regardless of producing only one level every in 14 video games, the Leafs’ different prospects, Steeves included, deserve an opportunity to bump him out of the common rotation and carve out a spot for themselves over the long run.
The NHL is a zero-sum enterprise. If you happen to’re not producing in a single regard or one other, there’ll all the time be somebody youthful and cheaper who desires to step in and take your job. Steeves is a kind of youthful, cheaper abilities, and this could possibly be one in all his higher probabilities at nailing down an NHL job. If he can’t get the job carried out and heads again to the Marlies for the long run, the opposite Leafs prospects can be very happy to step in and do their damnedest by no means to see one other AHL sport once more.
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Related: In Matthews’ Absence, Nylander Is Establishing Himself As Maple Leafs’ Most Dynamic Player
