#toronto-marlies

#toronto-marlies

For the opening 25 minutes of this game, the Toronto Marlies produced some of their best five-on-five hockey this season. Organized breakouts, adherence to their structure, and a relentless forecheck allowed the Marlies to dominate offensive-zone time and force the Syracuse Crunch to defend for long stretches. Two defensive breakdowns later, Toronto allowed two goals in 37 seconds. Two penalties later, the Marlies were down 4-1, and the game was basically curtains.

Niemelä, 23, was a third-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2020 and quickly became one of the organizations most promising prospects with a strong season as a teenager in the SM-Liiga in Finland with Karpat. Niemelä became a top-ranking name in the Leafs system at the 2021 World Juniors when he was named top defenceman at the tournament with eight points in seven games as Finland went on to win the bronze medal.

Dennis Hildeby, the 23-year-old Swedish netminder, had an inconsistent season but showed promise. His strong performance indicates he should receive a short-term contract from Toronto.