“I’m Ready to Spend the Whole Season in the AHL”: Leafs Artur Akhtyamov’s Journey to the NHL

icon
6 min read
iconNov 18, 2024, 9:54 AMicon

As a talented young goaltending prospect coming up through the ranks of Russian hockey in the VHL and KHL, Artur Akhtyamov has shown a lot of promise over the last few years. Selected 106th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Draft, the young Russian tender finally signed his entry-level contract in the summer of 2023.  

The 23-year-old has made his way across the Atlantic to play hockey in North America for the first time and has already made a strong impression. In his first six games with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Akhtyamov won five times and posted a .926 save percentage.

“I wouldn’t say I was very nervous before my AHL debut,” Akhtyamov said in an interview with RG. “I was more nervous before the first preseason game. By the time the regular season began, I already understood the style of play, so it was easier. There was still some nervousness, but I think that helped me.”

Akhtyamov admitted he was excited to see stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares at the Maple Leafs’ training camp.

“I rarely got to play with them during camp since I was in the second and third groups,” he explained. “They weren’t on the roster for the preseason games I played. But I did manage to get into a couple of practices with them in August. Those guys are beasts, for sure. It's hard to stop their shots, but I think I did okay.”

Akhtyamov had an outstanding 2022-23 season in the VHL (Russia's second-tier professional league), with a .943 save percentage and six shutouts. He also recorded shutouts in both of his playoff victories. The following season, he was named the VHL's top goaltender with a .927 save percentage.

As his contract expired in Russia, the Leafs understandably pounced at the opportunity to sign him in July 2023. However, he was ultimately loaned back to Ak Bars of the KHL for the 2023-24 season for more development, which resulted in a strong showing in the KHL.

Now, he’s 100% committed to the cause in Toronto and even came over early to get in some practices with his new teammates.

“When I went to Toronto this summer, I had no specific expectations. I went there to pursue a dream,” Akhtyamov said. “I was curious to see how everything works, what kind of hockey they play, and what the people are like. My initial goal was to break through, work hard, and wait for an opportunity.”

In the summer, Ak Bars general manager Marat Valiullin mentioned that Akhtyamov could return to Russia again if things didn’t work out in Canada. However, the young goalie insists he isn’t thinking about that.

“I don’t want to think about returning now,” Akhtyamov said.

“I’m grateful to Ak Bars for that, but I want to try my luck here. I’m ready to spend the whole season in the AHL. I’m just starting, and I’m still learning the process. It’s fine if I spend the entire season with the Marlies. The most important thing is to play as many games as possible.”

The Marlies have a unique situation this season, with three goalies on the roster: Akhtyamov, Dennis Hildeby, and Matt Murray.

“We have three equal goalies, and I think we have a strong team,” Akhtyamov said. “Right now, we’re all playing equal time. All of us need to work on earning more trust. The only downside is having to rotate during practice. Sometimes, you want to get more work in. But we have a great team.”

Despite the internal competition, the young goaltender is taking it all in and trying to learn from his teammates as he continues trying to strive for the NHL.

“Matt Murray is a Stanley Cup champion. You can talk to him about a lot of things, and you can learn a lot from him. It’s great to have that level of competition — it only makes you stronger. Murray doesn’t offer advice unless you approach him, but if you ask him, he’ll calmly explain things and show you. He’s an open-minded and approachable person. I’ve already asked him for tips several times and learned a lot.”

Daria went to St. Petersburg State University and earned a bachelor of international journalism. Working as a sports journalist from 2014, from 2016 as a hockey journalist. Covered 5 World Championships, 2022 Winter Olympics, 2020 World Juniors, 6 Gagarin Cup Finals. 

Owner of a telegram channel Coolest Game on Earth.

Integrative nutritionist specializing on sports nutritionology.

Interests:
icon
NHL
icon
Nutrition
icon
Interviews

More RG Exclusive Interviews

Hockey Writers

James Murphy
James Murphy
NHL Reporter

With 24 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, ESPN Boston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA and junior hockey, and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and around this great game. For 22 of his 24 years as a hockey and sports reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins on a daily basis, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals. Murphy is currently a co-host, along with Pierre McGuire, on The Eye Test Podcast.

Jim Biringer
Jim Biringer
Reporter

Having 10 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, Rod Pedersen Show, Raw Mike Richards Show, and more) covering the Devils, the NHL along with College Football, the NFL, and the tennis circuit Jim Biringer has wealth of sports knowledge. As one of Jim's hockey coaches put it he is a "student of the game." During his time as a sports reporter, Biringer has covered some of the biggest events including most recently the 2024 Stanley Cup Final along with several NHL Drafts. He is also the host of the Full Press Hockey Podcast and Final Word on Hockey plus Around Campus - The College Football Podcast.

Sergey Demidov
Sergey Demidov
Head of News Department

Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.

Marco D'Amico
Marco D'Amico
Hockey Reporter

Marco D'Amico is a beat reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL Draft, while also being a recurring guest on TSN690 and BPM Sports. His work primarily on NHL CBA breakdowns and prospect analysis, all while covering the Montreal Canadiens on a day-to-day basis.

Igor Rabiner
Igor Rabiner
Columnist

Igor Rabiner has written for Sport-Express, the biggest Russian sports website, since 1994. He has covered seven FIFA World Cups, seven Winter Olympics, and three Summer Olympics. He is the author of 28 books with total sales of over 500,000 copies. He won an AIPS Sport Media Award for best column and interviewed exclusively Pele, Wayne Gretzky, Franz Beckenbauer, Alex Ovechkin and many other soccer, ice hockey, and tennis superstars. From 2016 to 2021, he has regularly contributed to the Russian version of NHL.com. Has contributed to The Guardian, British soccer magazine The Blizzard, and other world publications. One of the authors of the encyclopedia 'Kings of Ice," which came out in North America in 2002. From 2013 to 2021, Rabiner was a co-owner and teacher in a private sports journalism school in Russia. He has 56,500 followers on X and over 25,000 readers on Telegram, Facebook and Instagram.

Show More