Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Artur Akhtyamov will make his first ever NHL start on Thursday when his team takes on the New York Islanders, head coach Craig Berube confirmed on Wednesday.
Akhtyamov, 24, was drafted 106th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2020 and made his NHL debut this season, making five saves in relief of Dennis Hildeby in a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 13.
Craig Berube says Artur Akhtyamov gets the start for the Leafs tomorrow at Islanders
First career NHL start@TSN_Sports
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 9, 2026
“I really liked him right from camp. He backed up a couple times this year & just has a great personality,” Berube said Thursday after a 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. “He’s played well down there. He’s a competitor and he’s really got fast reflexes. He’s competitive as hell, man. I like the kid a lot.”
The 6-foot-2 netminder has a 20-12-4 record with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies this season with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
He signed a three-year, $2.7 million extension on March 16 that will kick in for the 2026-27 campaign and carry a cap hit of $900,000.
Akhtyamov is needed after goalie Anthony Stolarz was injured in the loss to the Capitals early in the first period.
The 6-foot-6 netminder was injured just over two and a half minutes into the game after attempting to make a save with his left leg.
Stolarz immediately began writhing in pain in the crease and after the team’s medical staff attended to him on the ice, he was helped into the locker room without being able to put weight on his left leg.
Joseph Woll played the remainder of the game allowing three goals on 17 shots.
Woll has only played in consecutive days once before in his career, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 20 and then falling 5-2 to the Ottawa Senators on March 21. He allowed eight goals on 80 shots in those two games.
Hildeby was also in action on Wednesday with the Marlies, allowing three goals on 16 shots in a 4-3 overtime win over the Utica Comets.
Additionally, Berube added forward Luke Haymes will make his NHL debut against the Islanders and forward Bo Groulx will be sent to the AHL for roster management.
Haymes was signed as an undrafted free agent on March 25 and recorded 17 goals and 32 points in 64 games with the Marlies this season.
He previously played three seasons with Dartmouth College in the NCAA, registering 41 goals and 70 points in 83 career NCAA games.
Groulx, 26, appeared in 13 games with the Maple Leafs this season, recording three goals and five points. He also has 27 goals and 50 points in 55 games in the AHL this season.
