The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a goaltending adjustment ahead of a demanding weekend, calling up 25-year-old Artur Akhtyamov as they prepare for back-to-back games against the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils.
The move gives Stolarz and Bobrovsky a break from backup duty and could open the door for Akhtyamov to see game action. Toronto confirmed the change just moments ago, with the team set to play the Canadiens and Devils on consecutive nights.
Tonight in Montreal, Bobrovsky is expected to get the start. On the second night of the back-to-back against New Jersey, Anthony Stolarz is likely to take over.
Goaltending has been a problem for the Maple Leafs early this season, and the team is clearly trying to manage the position more carefully. Bobrovsky has been labeled a slow starter, while Stolarz has been solid overall, even if some outings have still left the fanbase frustrated.
Toronto is also coming off three days without a game and looking to respond after its last outing, a 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth in a game that should have been there for the taking.
The Leafs will get a boost with John Tavares returning to the lineup and reclaiming his spot on the top power-play unit. Gavin McKenna is moving down to the second unit.
It’s an important night for Toronto, especially with a division opponent on the other side. The Maple Leafs need offense, and they need cleaner play in front of their goaltenders, because defense and goaltending have been among their biggest issues.
The matchup is shaping up as a battle from the opening puck drop to the final horn, and if Toronto comes up short, the temperature around the team is only going to rise.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face One Huge Question As Superstar Fit Emerges
A fan-generated trade idea making the rounds this week put Simon Edvinsson in Toronto, but it did not find much traction. The proposal, which would have sent the young Detroit defenseman north in a package built around Ben Danford, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Miles Wood and draft picks, was overwhelmingly rejected by voters, with 92% disapproving the deal.
The reaction says plenty about how difficult it is to find a clean fit for a player with Edvinssons upside and price tag. He is reportedly seeking around $10 million per season, which helps explain why the conversation quickly turned from excitement to skepticism, especially for a Maple Leafs team that is always measured against cap reality as much as talent. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Loss To Montreal Came With An Even Bigger Concern
The Maple Leafs had more to worry about than the final score after a 4-2 loss to Montreal, because the night quickly turned from a divisional setback into a health concern on the blue line. Alex Newhook led the Canadiens with two goals, Zachary Bolduc added a power-play marker and Jacob Fowler stopped 26 shots, but Torontos most troubling moment came when Morgan Rielly exited in the second period with a lower-body injury.
For a team already trying to steady itself in a tight race, losing one of its most important defensemen changes the tone of the conversation immediately. Toronto will have to sort out both the result and the status of Rielly, while Montreal leaves with a win that was built on timely scoring and a solid effort in goal. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Will Hate What This Leafs Trade Idea Implies
A fan-made trade concept making the rounds on Puckpedia has stirred up plenty of skepticism, and for good reason. The idea would have Detroit part with Simon Edvinsson and a 2027 fifth-round pick while Toronto sends back Ben Danford, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Miles Wood and a 2027 second-round pick, a package that immediately invites questions about fit, value and whether either side would even have the cap room to make it work.
From the Leafs perspective, the proposal is the kind of swing that looks intriguing on paper but gets harder to justify once the details are unpacked. Toronto would be taking on another layer of salary pressure while trying to sell a future-focused return to Detroit, and the reaction from the fan base was predictably harsh, with the overwhelming majority voting it down. [Read more 🡒]