Moldenhauer making noise, Akhtyamov’s AHL All-Star appearance

Moldenhauer persevered and ultimately got into 41 games with the Chicago Steel that season, potting 18 goals and 25 assists, but he has had to press on through a different type of adversity since joining the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA. He had a respectable freshman year in 2023-24, registering eight goals and 13 assists in 41 games, but his production took a big hit in his second year of college hockey when he ended the season with just three goals and seven assists in 29 games.

It was starting to look as though Moldenhauer would just be the next prospect to fizzle out before turning pro, but he has rebounded in a massive way so far this season. He has played a prominent role for one of the top teams in college hockey, and after a three-point outing against Penn State on Saturday, Moldenhauer is up to 12 goals and 13 assists through 30 games.

His versatility and adaptive style of play have helped him reach another level this season, and those traits could pave the way for him to become a piece of the Leafs’ future. Moldenhauer might not have one single attribute that screams “NHLer,” but his well-rounded skill set is something that teams covet. He isn’t exactly a burner, but he skates well and has great contact balance that allows him to make plays in high-traffic areas. He has good vision as a playmaker, and a nose for the net that makes him a tough player to go up against shift after shift at the college level. Even in the midst of his best year with Michigan, the volume of translatable pro-level skills is more enticing than his raw offensive numbers. Moldenhauer isn’t likely to become a high-end offensive threat as a pro, but he has a bit of that Swiss Army knife quality to his game that could make him an effective player in a variety of roles.

For now, Moldenhauer and the rest of his Michigan teammates have their sights set on their pursuit of a national title, but with the way he has progressed this season, the Leafs should have their own sights set on getting their 2022 third-rounder signed to an entry-level contract this spring.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

• When he was drafted, Ben Danford was lauded for his advanced defensive game and willingness to play a hard-nosed style of hockey, and the hope was that there was more to unlock in his offensive game. While there have been some encouraging signs in terms of his ability to start a breakout and sustain offensive possessions, his overall offensive game hasn’t taken off the way many had hoped it would. He posted 33 points in his draft year, dipped down to 25 points a season ago, and with an assist on an empty netter over the weekend, he is now on pace for just 26 points this season, albeit in fewer games. It’s important to remember that Danford’s calling card is his defensive game, but without a bit more of a dynamic offensive quality, his ceiling at the NHL level could be limited.
• Monday marked Dennis Hildeby‘s fourth start with the Marlies since being reassigned to the AHL, and it was his first win with the Marlies since November. He stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced in regulation and overtime before securing the victory in a shootout, and he now owns a 2.65 GAA to go along with an .894 SV% through eight appearances in the AHL this season.

• Artur Akhtyamov represented the Marlies at the AHL All-Star Classic this past week, and he was one of the stars of the skills competition, stopping all five shooters he faced in the breakaway relay to help secure the win for the Eastern Conference. His numbers with the Marlies don’t jump off the page, but Akhtyamov has put together a strong season while building up a pretty impressive highlight reel in the process.

• Miroslav Holinka has had a huge year with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. He had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over Calgary on Saturday and added another assist in a 3-2 win over Lethbridge on Monday, bringing him to 31 goals and 38 assists in just 47 games so far this season. Simply put, he has been one of the most consistent and dynamic threats in the WHL this season, and he looks ready to take the next step into the AHL next season.

• Luke Haymes extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with a rocket of a shot against Laval on Saturday, but he was held off the scoresheet in Monday’s rematch. There is another level for him to reach offensively, but he has acquitted himself fairly well in his first year of pro hockey, now with eight goals and nine assists in 44 games.

• Ryan Tverberg hasn’t reached the same heights he did in his first AHL season, when he posted 32 points in 46 games, but he has been solid in the Marlies’ last two games. He scored his sixth goal of the season in Saturday’s losing effort and notched a pair of assists to take home the belt as the Marlies’ player of the game in Monday’s shootout win. For the season, he’s got 15 points in 40 games, but he has fallen down the organizational depth chart since turning pro.

• Harry Nansi started the season like a house on fire, but his production cooled off significantly through the middle part of the campaign. He has started to find it again over the last few games, however, with six assists in his last six contests, bringing him up to 10 goals and 35 assists in 54 games for the Owen Sound Attack.

• Nathan Mayes has flown under the radar as a seventh-round pick with a defence-first style of play, but he’s found the scoresheet with some regularity as of late. He scored his second goal of the season on Friday and was also assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding, illustrating his penchant for playing on the edge. Mayes now has 13 points in 49 games this season, with seven of those points coming over the course of his last seven games.

Statistics from EliteProspects.com and CHL.ca

PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE