#toronto-marlies

#toronto-marlies

An inability to make it count on the scoreboard almost came back to haunt them in the third period. It's an early, promising sign that this much-changed Marlies team hung tough and found a way to grind out the extra point. "I thought we were outstanding. We were moving pucks quick[ly] and keeping them [Belleville] on their heels. That was a definite positive for our group." - John Gruden on the Marlies ' play through 40 minutes

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.