Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
Friday brought another getting-to-know-you night for the Toronto Marlies.
They have had a lot of those this spring – but so have their opponents.
Knowing familiar divisional opponents over the long regular season is one thing. But the Calder Cup Playoffs are a different story. That adaptation process becomes even more significant and challenging as the postseason moves along, as opponents become far less familiar.
The Marlies learned everything they had ever cared to know about the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, their foe in a hard-fought, chippy six-game struggle in the Eastern Conference Finals. Next up, the Western Conference champion Chicago Wolves.
Toronto and Chicago actually met in the 2025-26 regular season – a rarity for Calder Cup finalists. But rosters have changed. Some of the players are different. And those who do remain have been hardened by nearly two months of playoff battles.
The teams reacquainted themselves in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals, a 4-2 win for the Marlies. That natural feeling-out stage is done. Now it’s down to dig in. If they don’t know each other well yet, they will quite soon. Game 2 is this afternoon at Allstate Arena (4 ET,
, Sportsnet One) before the series moves to Toronto for as many as three games in four nights starting Tuesday.
The Marlies have made sure that opponents need to get to know them equally, and the Wolves got a solid look at what Toronto is about.
It was not a perfect game that the Marlies played, but it was enough for a win – and to set a good foundation for this series. A flawless game is not required from head coach John Gruden’s players. This is a team that has established enough winning habits necessary to still be playing in the middle of June. Create enough of those habits, spread them across the team, and a team can work its way to a lot of success, as the Marlies have shown.
“For our first game trying to feel each other out, I thought we did a lot of good things,” Gruden said in his post-game press availability. “It’s all about wins right now.”
Marlies forward Vinni Lettieri came through again in Game 1, contributing a first-period assist before delivering the game-winning goal with a spectacular rush in which he outraced four Chicago defenders. He added the empty-net insurance goal to seal the victory. Lettieri came to the Maple Leafs organization with just 15 playoff games played over his first eight pro seasons. He currently leads the league with 10 goals and 20 points this postseason.
Gruden and Lettieri spent the 2022-23 season together in the Boston Bruins organization, and the forward’s growth in his all-around game has been evident. Since becoming a full-time pro with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2017 after his senior year at the University of Minnesota, Lettieri has never been questioned for his offensive talent. But building out an all-around game has enabled him to become that much more useful. His third-period goal came from those ingrained habits: he positioned himself well to win a loose puck high in his defensive zone, and then used his puck skills to create something.
The empty-netter came because Gruden feels comfortable enough to let him protect a one-goal lead in the final minute of play.
“He’s becoming a complete player, which I like,” Gruden said.
Lettieri’s growth mirrors the Toronto roster. Begin with Artur Akhtyamov, who continues to stand out in net. His 16th consecutive start finished with him stopping 24 shots from a Chicago team that had figured out how to solve the defensively stout Colorado Eagles a round earlier. Rookie blueliner Ben Danford, all of 12 games into his pro career, provided his first pro goal. Borya Valis chipped in two assists. All but three Marlies skaters recorded at least one shot. Toronto erased a pair of Chicago leads on the way to a fifth consecutive road win.
The ability for different players to make significant contributions at various times has been a dominant theme of this playoff run. Dennis Hildeby stepped in for Akhtyamov to get the Marlies through their opening-round series against Rochester. Michael Pezzetta served up back-to-back game-winning goals to open the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series. Marc Johnstone and Landon Sim have provided energy. The contributions of Danford and fellow rookies Easton Cowan and Luke Haymes have been immense.
If it’s not a goal or a save, it’s a lot of gritty, down-and-dirty work.
Like previous opponents had to do, Chicago is still learning the Marlies’ more intricate details, but Toronto’s work ethic is apparent immediately. Gruden’s players like him, like his game plan. They go out and execute it. It’s no-frills, hard-nosed, grind-it-out hockey, the kind of approach that can win a Calder Cup.
“They’re diving in front of pucks, blocking shots, doing whatever they have to do to win games,” Gruden said, “and that’s what it’s all about at this time of the year.”
