Artur Akhtyamov is excited for another year in Toronto despite being far from home.
The 23-year-old is entering his second season on North American soil, after spending all year with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2024-25. He had originally been picked by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, but spent a couple of years bouncing between the KHL and VHL (the Russian equivalent of the AHL).
Akhtyamov had a strong start to his debut season with the Marlies before his play began to dip a bit.
“It was my first season here and maybe sometimes I miss my home, my wife, my parents and friends,” Akhtyamov said before heading to Montreal with the rest of Toronto’s rookies for the Prospect Showdown.. “Maybe this happened because I miss (home).”
Despite the mid-season speed bump, the Kazan, Russia-born goaltender finished with 11 wins and a .901 save percentage through 26 games, all while sharing the net with Matt Murray and Dennis Hildeby.
“I’m enjoying being here now, my second year,” he said.
It’s never easy for players from Europe to come over to North America and be instantly thrown into the lifestyle. It’s even more difficult when your teammates all speak English and you’re still learning the language.
“A really big city, and I’m still learning,” Akhtyamov smiled. “My wife has come here now. I showed her the city and we just enjoy it. Every day we walk.”
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In his first season, though, Akhtyamov often pushed himself to speak English, even doing interviews during the early months of last year. He’s more confident now with the language and the type of game that’s played in North America.
“I think Artie, especially, competes extremely hard,” Marlies head coach John Gruden said. “Like, he goes into every practice and he doesn’t want a puck to cross the goal line, and that’s just a great way to go about your business. Never ever complain about his work ethic.”
There’s a lot of hope that this season will be different. He’ll be more used to the lifestyle and game, plus he’ll have his wife, Anna, with him for the entire year, versus just a month last season.
“Yeah, this really helps for me because I’m not alone here… I can’t cook. She helps me,” Akhtyamov laughed.
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The goaltender also won’t always have to share the net with three goalies. It should be him and Hildeby, who just signed a new three-year deal, commanding the Marlies’ crease for the upcoming season.
“They’re really good goalies,” he added of Murray and Hildeby, “and I watch when they play, I take a couple moments, like position game.”
It’s not just a big season because it’s his second year in North America, though. Akhtyamov is in the same position that Hildeby was in one year ago: entering the final year of his entry-level contract before hitting restricted free agency.
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Akhtyamov might not get any NHL games this season — unless thrown into the position because of injuries — but it’s a massive year for his future. And the netminder hopes that, like Hildeby, he’ll be signing an extension with Toronto next summer.
“I congratulated him. It’s really good. He’s a really good partner. I’m happy he’s staying here and we work together again,” Akhtyamov said of Hildeby.
“I need to work, and we’ll see. My work is to stop the puck. I hope so. I hope I will sign a new contract with the Maple Leafs.”
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