TORONTO — Artur Akhtyamov and Dennis Hildeby are drawing motivation from watching fellow 24-year-old Jakub Dobes become a playoff star for the Montreal Canadiens.
“He's my age,” noted Akhtyamov. “This goalie is interesting for me, and I like what he does.”
What does he like?
“Everything,” Akhtyamov said. “His mental game and how [he] stops the puck. His size [6-foot-4, 215 pounds], he's a big goalie. His interview after the game [on Sunday], so funny too because he's a good guy, I think.”
Dobes has looked anything but a rookie in helping the Canadiens pull within two games of the Eastern Conference final.
“He's had an unbelievable year,” said Hildeby. “Played against him a couple times in my rookie year in Laval [in the American Hockey League] and you could see something special there. He's a big guy, but he moves very fast and is very athletic. He competes a lot.”
While Dobes is now competing for the Stanley Cup, Akhtyamov and Hildeby are doing their best to help the Toronto Marlies make a run toward the Calder Cup.
Marlies Set For AHL North Division Final
The Marlies will open the AHL North Division Final on Thursday night on the road against the Cleveland Monsters.
“It's nice that they're pushing each other,” said Marlies coach John Gruden. “You can see the competition that it drives. It's a healthy competition.”
Akhtyamov is earning more ice time so far. He's started six of eight playoff games while posting a .917 save percentage.
Akhtyamov's Steady Play In Playoffs
“I don't know,” the native of Kazan, Russia said when asked what he likes about his game. “Ask players or coaches. I hate myself.”
Akhtyamov lets out a laugh while admitting “maybe sometimes” he is a perfectionist.
“You have to be a little bit of a perfectionist,” said Gruden. “You gotta hate to get scored on but you also gotta try to have a little bit of a quarterback mentality. Like, you gotta let things go pretty quick and I think he does do that. I don't think he lets it affect him.”
Akhtyamov may be modest, but there's no doubt he played a big role in helping the Marlies dispatch the Rochester Americans in a best-of-three series and the Laval Rocket in a best-of-five affair. Both series went the distance.
“I like when we win the two series, that's good,” he said. “I have moments, I need to work more. I want to stop more pucks.”
Akhtyamov stopped 20 of 22 shots in a do-or-die game on Saturday in Laval. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound netminder remained unfazed even as the Rocket players did their best to make life uncomfortable.
“He's cool, calm, collected,” said Marlies defenceman William Villeneuve. “I'm super proud of him ... Arty is feeling himself right now. We just got to protect him a little bit more going to Cleveland.”
Laval's Alex Belzile stuck Akhtyamov below the belt in the third period on Saturday before apologizing in the handshake line. It was only one example of how the Rocket tried to unsettle the young goalie.
“We talk about it with [goalie coach] Hannu [Toivonen],” said Akhtyamov. “It doesn't matter.”
So, he just blocks it out?
“Block it out,” he repeated. “Exactly. Thank you.”
Akhtyamov's Championship Experience
This is Akhtyamov's first taste of playoff hockey in North America, but he did backstop Neftyanik Almetievsk to a VHL (a level below the KHL) title in 2024.
“He's done it in Russia,” Gruden pointed out. “He's won a championship. I don't care what league it is; he's a proven winner.”
After making his debut with the Marlies last season, Akhtyamov has quickly established himself as a goalie of the future in Toronto.