NHL Prospects in AHL Review: Maple Leafs’ Akhtyamov, Isles’ Jefferies Shine

Each week, FloHockey futures analyst Chris Peters breaks down notable performances in the AHL that NHL fans should pay attention to.

Here’s a look at some of the weekend’s biggest plays and early season departures including a player who recently returned to the NHL for the first time.

Admirals’ Zach L’Heureux Gets Call To Nashville

Zach L’Heureux is a player to watch out for in the game. Sometimes it’s because of a great game, sometimes it’s because you’re playing the other team and sometimes it’s because you go over the line.

The fire that burns in L’Heureux every shift is definitely visible as it will let the opposition know you are there. Now he will find out how the NHL players will respond to him as the Nashville Predators recently called him up and expect him to make his NHL debut.

L’Heuruex has five points in the first four games of the season for the Milwaukee Admirals, including three goals, all of which came last weekend against the Rockford IceHogs.

There’s a lot going on here, but it ends with Zach L’Heureux and that’s all you need to know…right?@mkeadmirals | #MILhockey @TheAHL | #AHL #Smashville pic.twitter.com/lCnpBNmJsU

– FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 19, 2024

The skill is there, the fitness is there and, in his second professional season, the goals have been there. The Predators organization has allowed L’Heureux to play his way and it’s working for him. It works for them, too, as now the 2021 first-rounder will get his first look at the NHL.

As a rookie in the AHL last season, L’Heureux had 48 points in 66 games and an impressive 197 penalty minutes. At 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds, he doesn’t look like the type to fight, but he’ll drop the gloves when he needs to and that’s often enough because teams usually want to get him for a hit or a little extra-curriculars after the whistle.

Honestly, Nashville needs that kind of energy from their team right now. The Predators are still winless to start the NHL season, having lost their first five games while allowing 13 more goals than they scored. Injecting a little energy in the form of L’Heureux is the least they can do at the moment to try and shake things up.

If there’s one thing you can count on, his debut won’t be quiet.

Goalie Artur Akhtyamov Stops (Almost) Everything In Toronto

The rise of Russian goaltenders in North American hockey has been one of the most obvious trends of the past few years. At the NHL level, he has the likes of Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Ilya Sorokin, just to name a few. There is a lot more in the AHL right now and one of the latest additions is off to an incredibly hot start with the Toronto Marlies.

Artur Akhtyamov is in his first North American professional season with the AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old has started three games, won all three and is posting an impressive .964 save percentage, stopping 80 of 83 shots so far.

On Sunday, he recorded his first AHL shutout with a 17-save effort against Utica on home ice. This follows the first game last year where he stopped 38 of 39 against the San Diego Gulls.

Some goalkeepers find the transition to North America more challenging than others. Akhtyamov makes it look easy on this point. In addition, he becomes a tandem partner with two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray, who is currently playing with the Russian youth team.

It’s a good setup for the Marlies, who are undefeated in five games and have outscored opponents 19-8.

Wild Hunter Haight Scores Hat Trick For Iowa

The Iowa Wild are struggling to start their season. Without a win in four games, Iowa had a tough weekend on the road in San Jose where the Barracuda took a beating, seemingly, from star goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.

If you’re looking for a silver lining, however, there is one in the form of rookie Hunter Haight.

The Wild scored three goals all weekend in San Jose. They all came from Haight, who won the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit last year and has developed into one of the most valuable prospects currently on the AHL roster.

The 20-year-old from Strathroy, Ontario, has incredible skill and flair for scoring goals. He will still need to get stronger to make a consistent impact on the game at the professional level, but there is a lot to like about the power and ability he plays with.

Selected 47th overall in 2022, Haight had a career-best 25 goals last season with Saginaw and added 11 more in 22 postseason games including the Memorial Cup.

Scoring a hat trick in just his second weekend as a professional is a testament to where things are going, because beyond the goals, Haight was seen in other Iowa games. You should be creating more opportunities on the ground.

Islanders Pick Alex Jefferies To Make Hot Start As Pro

I’ve always thought that Alex Jefferies was underappreciated in hope circles. Part of that was because he was playing at Merrimack and not one of the major college programs with a lot of NHL prospects, but he was an outstanding player in the NCAA. He also helped Merrimack become more competitive and challenge those top teams especially over the past three seasons.

Now in his first full professional season with the Bridgeport Islanders, the 2020 fourth-round pick shows no signs of struggling with the transition. He appeared in 12 games with Bridgeport at the end of last season and scored seven points. Through his first four games of the 2024-25 campaign, Jeffery has five points including three goals.

Jefferies has really grown his game in his four NCAA seasons, especially considering he went straight to college from prep school. Jefferies has good size, can get inside and always seems to put himself in a good scoring position. The Islanders don’t have a ton of top prospects in their roster, but I think they’ll get some serious NHL games from Jeffery soon.

Calgary’s Rory Kerins is the AHL Player of the Week

If you look at the top of the AHL points leaderboard, you’ll find Kerins staring back at you. Through five games, the 2020 sixth rounder has a league-leading seven goals and eight points for the Calgary Wranglers.

The third-year veteran has been unstoppable early on, scoring in a variety of ways and being involved in one of the AHL’s most potent attacks early in the season. Kerins has points in all but one game so far this season and has multiple goal attempts in three of his five contests.

The 22-year-old was recently named AHL Player of the Week for a week of five goals that included a hat trick in a 3-1 win over Coachella Valley and two goals in a 4-3 win over Henderson.

As a guy who went from a low round draft pick, to the ECHL with the Rapid City Rush to a contributor to the Wranglers, he is developing in a very good way. I wouldn’t have expected this scoring start to be the norm for him, but this hot start has been earned by being efficient off the puck and playing inside a lot.

Capitals’ Ivan Miroshnichenko Can’t Stop Hitting Hershey

We’re starting to get to the point where I wonder if AHL fans should make sure they see Miroshnichenko while they’re still young because I don’t see him looking forward to the league. The 2022 first round pick has been outstanding early on for the Hershey Bears and is starting to look like one of the most dangerous scorers in the AHL.

Through five games, the 20-year-old has five goals and seven points. He had his second three-point attempt in a 5-0 win over the Chicago Wolves. Miroshnichenko also has 18 shots on goal so far this season, including an eight-shot effort in his three-goal game against the Cleveland Monsters.

He puts himself in a good position to score and his shot is very dangerous. This guy has been through a lot in his life, but when you consider that he is only two years removed from his battle with cancer and is playing well, you can’t help but wonder where his game is.

Bruins’ Fabian Lysell Flashing Skill In Providence

This feels like a make-or-break season for Lysell, who is entering his third AHL campaign. The 2021 first-round pick has shown he can score at the AHL level, with his scoring increasing over the past two seasons. This year, he must prove that he can dominate at this level and force the Bruins to add him to their NHL roster.

It’s hard to come across people with as much talent as a veteran, but Boston didn’t draft him 21st overall to become a star in Providence. However, Lysell’s goal in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Springfield was a good reminder of how his skill and speed can change a game.

Fabian Lysell, shows off this move 😮@AHLBruins | #AHLBruins@TheAHL | #AHL | #PROvsSPR@NHLBruins | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/2J3UEiO6sl

– FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 20, 2024

Lysell is a mid-range player who may still be strong, but his quick hands can be such an equalizer for him. Running away and killing the rush could land him on an NHL roster sooner rather than later. He has a lot to prove, but when he does things like this, that’s when he shows that there is a place for him at the next level.

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