The Toronto Marlies’ start to 2025 was rough. They finished January with a record of 7-6-0-1 after starting the month 7-2-0. The Marlies played only 11 games in February and finished with a record of 3-4-1-3, pushing their overall record to 28-16-3-6 (they have played two games in March so far, a shootout win and a regulation loss).
The Marlies lost against crucial opponents in their division, like the Laval Rocket, who are ahead of them in the standings but beat opponents below them, like the Belleville Senators. Once again, goaltending and defence were key factors in this month’s performance, either receiving great performances from both to keep them in the game or being a crucial factor in their losses, which got out of hand. Here’s a look at our three stars for February 2025.
Three Stars of February 2025
Third Star: Jacob Quillan
In his first full season with the Marlies, Jacob Quillan has been making a nice name for himself. He has a solid frame that he effectively uses to win puck battles. He is also an intelligent forward, making thoughtful decisions rather than just passing the puck to get it off his stick. He has demonstrated this ability well this season with the Marlies, especially in the past month, finishing with three goals and four assists for seven points in February. He had two multi-point games, one against the Belleville Senators on Feb. 14 and the other against the Rocket on Feb. 17.
His hard work this season earned him a call-up to play with the Maple Leafs for a game when John Tavares was hurt. He has played most games with the Marlies at the center position. Still, when head coach John Gruden wanted to shift the lineups to get more offence going, he moved him to the wing with fellow linemates Cedric Pare and Zach Solow. It paid off, helping Pare secure a two-goal, one-assist, three-point night against the Rocket on Feb. 17 in a 7-2 win and notching two points of his own.
“[Paré] is really starting to find his groove now,” said Gruden. “He started off really well, but he had that injury, and it took him a while to get his timing and confidence back. He has found it, and he has been great with Quillan moving to the wing.”
Quillan is a competitive player. He had to work hard to prove he had a future in the NHL, and that work ethic has paid off, particularly in scoring. With 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points this season, it may not be an eye-opening amount of scoring, but at 23 years old, he has demonstrated significant growth in his play.
Second Star: Arthur Akhtyamov
Goaltending was very hit-or-miss in February. They gave up five goals three times, all coming in losses, or they blew multi-goal leads that ended with them either winning or losing in overtime/shootouts. Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov split the games in February, and Akhtyamov takes home the second star despite finishing the month with a 2-1-3 record over Hildeby’s 3-4-0 record.
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In his five starts this month, Akhtyamov only finished with a save percentage (SV%) below .900 once: against the Rocket on Feb. 26, in a 5-4 loss. Outside of that game, he only allowed a maximum of two goals in his first three starts and recorded a shutout (his third of the season) in a loss, where he made 34 saves against the Rochester Americans on Feb. 22. The Americans currently have the second-best goals for at 188, while having a mediocre 18.2% on the power play. Akhtyamov has been a major topic of discussion this season, as he has impressed many in his rookie debut in the American Hockey League, including Gruden post-game after his performance against the Americans.
“[Akhtyamov] looked confident, was comfortable, and made big saves,” said Gruden. “He was in control all night. He just played outstanding and gave us a chance to win.”
With a record of 10-5-4 and three shutouts, he leads all rookie goaltenders in shutouts, is second in goals-against average (GAA), and third in SV%. While Hildeby has struggled in the AHL and NHL this season, Ahktyamov has been solid for them all season. With one more year left on his entry-level contract (ELC) and Hildeby’s contract expiring this summer, it will be interesting to see what the goaltending situation could look like entering next season.
First Star: Alex Steeves
Taking home the third consecutive First Star of the Month award, Alex Steeves produced exceptionally well throughout February, even after being recalled to the Maple Leafs. He has taken his game to an all-new level, finishing the month with six goals and two assists for eight points. After being called up to the Leafs and recording his first career NHL goal and assist, Steeves has picked up where he left off with the Marlies, which is goal-scoring and taking his game to a new level.
He recorded his second short-handed goal of the season against the Rocket on Feb. 7. He also scored his seventh game-winning goal of the season (18th in his career) against the Senators on Feb. 15, which also saw him score two power-play goals in the same game. His game has continued to evolve in the way he scores, and Gruden continues to show his support and praise his efforts in how Steeves continues to impact the game on all fronts.
“[Steeves] was totally engaged and under control throughout with complete composure,” said Gruden. “He kind of got under their skin a little bit, and because of that, he got rewarded with some really nice goals on the power play.”
With 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points this season, he leads all AHL players in goal scoring, is 11th in points, second in power-play goals, and first in game-winning goals. He has passed his career high in goals he set last season (2023-24) with 27 and is only ten points away from setting a new career high in points and breaking the one he set last season when he had 57.
The Marlies have already played two games in March. They won one in a shootout, 2-1, against the Manitoba Moose and lost the other in regulation, 4-2, against the Cleveland Monsters. They are scheduled to play 11 more games this month.
