Artur Akhtyamov has forced the Toronto Maple Leafs into an uncomfortable conversation
Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect goaltender Artur Akhtyamov made his debut with the team on Saturday night, and he is already showing himself to be a solid goalie.
Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves in a tough spot as they got absolutely steamrolled by the Edmonton Oilers.
After allowing six goals, the Leafs decided to pull Dennis Hildeby, who, up until last night, had been fantastic in Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz's absence.
He was replaced by Artur Akhtyamov, a 24-year-old goaltender prospect who has been trying to get noticed by the Maple Leafs front office.
In his relief effort, the goaltender stopped all five shots and gave the Leafs a bit of a chance of coming back into the match.
Artur Akhtyamov puts the pressure on the Maple Leafs front office
With this performance, Akhtyamov has proven, once again, that the Maple Leafs have a ton of depth at the goaltending position, regardless of who is making the big bucks.
Anthony Stolarz is showing no signs of returning anytime soon, and with his salary taking up valuable cap space, one has to wonder if he is really all that valuable.
The Leafs have been urged by certain segments of the fanbase to trade Stolarz and make Joseph Woll the starter, with Hildeby as the backup.
If this were to take place, Artur Akhtyamov would be the next man up. Based on how he played last night, it feels as though he is ready for that responsibility.
No matter what, the Maple Leafs have a lot to think about, especially with the trade deadline coming up during the month of March.
The goaltending situation has been messy at times, and it really does feel like it has been a mess for the franchise.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 14 | 418 ANSWERS Artur Akhtyamov has forced the Toronto Maple Leafs into an uncomfortable conversation Do you believe Artur Akhtyamov is a viable goaltender for the Maple Leafs going forward? | ||
| YES | 279 | 66.7 % |
| NO | 139 | 33.3 % |
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