Hurricanes, Maple Leafs affiliates to play for Calder Cup

The Calder Cup Finals have arrived.

It features two unexpected finalists, teams which got hot at the right time and found their groove in the postseason. Chicago (Carolina Hurricanes) finished 11th in the regular season. Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs) finished 15th. They meet in this best-of-7 series, which starts in Chicago on Friday.

Here is a preview of the Calder Cup Finals, as well as top NHL prospects to watch.

Toronto (36-26-10) finished fourth in the North Division but got hot in the postseason, eliminating Rochester (Buffalo Sabres), Laval (Montreal Canadiens), Cleveland (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh Penguins) to reach the Finals for the first time since 2018.

Chicago (36-21-15) finished second in the Central Division before eliminating Texas (Dallas Stars), Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings), and Colorado (Colorado Avalanche). In the best-of-7 Western Conference Finals against Colorado, Chicago won Games 6 and 7 on the road without top goalie Cayden Primeau.

Carolina has a chance to become the first NHL organization to win the Stanley Cup and the Calder Cup in the same season since the New Jersey Devils did so in 1995 alongside their former AHL affiliate, Albany. Carolina affiliates most recently have won the Calder Cup in 2019 (Charlotte) and 2022 (Chicago).

Chicago

When Primeau could not play Game 6, Chicago turned to goalie Amir Miftakhov. The 26-year-old made 75 saves on 80 shots in the two games against Colorado. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Miftakhov in the sixth round (No. 186) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He spent the 2021-22 season in the AHL and ECHL before going to the Kontinental Hockey League for three seasons. He signed a one-year contract with Carolina on July 1, 2025. In 28 regular-season games he was 12-8-7 with a 3.25 goals-against average, .888 save percentage and two shutouts.

Defenseman Joel Nystrom has been a significant postseason contributor after splitting the season between Carolina and Chicago. The 24-year-old had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 38 games with the Hurricanes along with 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 37 AHL games. In 16 playoff games, he has six points (two goals, four assists). Carolina selected him in the seventh round (No. 219) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Chicago's group of forwards is deep and starts with Bradly Nadeau. The 21-year-old leads the team with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 16 games. Selected in the first round (No. 30) of the 2023 NHL Draft by Carolina, Nadeau has played two seasons with Chicago. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2024-25, he had 58 points (32 goals, 26 assists) in 64 games and was the fifth player in AHL history to score at least 30 goals in a season before age 20. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and AHL Top Prospects Team. This season he was selected for the AHL All-Star Classic and had 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 52 games. Nadeau also played 12 games with the Hurricanes and scored three goals.

Ivan Ryabkin returned to Chicago after finishing his season with Charlottetown of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The 19-year-old had 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists) in 20 regular-season QMJHL games and nine points (four goals, five assists) in six playoff games. He has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 16 playoff games for Chicago. He was chosen by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 62) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Justin Robidas had 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists) in 58 regular-season games, and the 23-year-old leads Chicago in the playoffs with six goals in 16 playoff games. Carolina chose him in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2021 draft. He also played two games for the Hurricanes this season and had one assist.

Felix Unger Sorum, missed the final five games of the Western Conference Finals because of an undisclosed injury, and his status remains unknown. However, the 20-year-old has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 11 playoff games. He was selected by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 62) of the 2023 draft, and he had 66 points (17 goals, 49 assists) in 72 regular-season games. He also made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes on April 14 and had an assist.

Toronto

Toronto started the Calder Cup Playoffs without a clear-cut No. 1 goalie, but Artur Akhtyamov has taken full control of the job.

The 24-year-old is in his second season with Toronto. He is 11-6 with a 2.12 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in 17 playoff games. During the regular season, he was 21-12-4 with a 2.88 GAA and .904 save percentage in 37 games. He played his first three NHL games with the Maple Leafs this season, going 0-2-0 with an .877 save percentage after making his NHL debut Dec. 13. The Maple Leafs selected him in the fourth round (No. 106) in the 2020 draft.

Forward Easton Cowan has spent the postseason with Toronto after playing 66 games as a rookie with the Maple Leafs. The 21-year-old had 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists). The Maple Leafs selected him in the first round (No. 28) of the 2023 draft. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, he has adapted to the different style of play and had a major role in eliminating Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the Eastern Conference Finals. He has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 17 games, with three of those goals coming in the conference finals.

Defenseman Ben Danford has become a regular for Toronto after dividing his season between Oshawa and Brantford of the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old joined Toronto for the North Division Finals against Cleveland and has two assists in 11 playoff games. The Maple Leafs selected him in the first round (No. 31) of the 2024 NHL Draft.