Marshall Rifai | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born | Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada | March 16, 1998||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shoots | Left | ||
NHL team (P) Cur. team | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Marlies (AHL) | ||
NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 2022–present |
Marshall Rifai (born March 16, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Growing up in the Montreal area, Rifai played junior hockey in the Quebec youth systems. Although Rifai had hoped to enter the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League when he reached the 16-year old eligibility requirement, he recognized that he was unlikely to be drafted as an undersized 5-foot-7-inch (1.70 m) tall player, and instead opted to enroll in Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where he continued to play hockey. [1] Playing two years at Hotchkiss, Rafai experienced a growth spurt; in light of this, he went undrafted in his debut class of the 2016 NHL Draft. [1] [2] He then played one season in the United States Hockey League, split across the Omaha Lancers and the Des Moines Buccaneers, before enrolling at Harvard University. He is of Lebanese descent.
In his rookie season with the Harvard Crimson, Rifai only appeared in six games, going scoreless. He became a mainstay on the team in his sophomore season, appearing in 30 games with the club and winning the Donald Angier Hockey Trophy for the Crimson player showing the greatest improvement from their previous season. [3] The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of winter athletics at Ivy League universities, including Harvard, but Rifai returned to the team in his final season, again a mainstay on the school's blue line as the team won the ECAC Championship. [4] Upon graduation, Rifai was courted with NHL offers from several teams, but ultimately decided to sign a one-year contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), owing to the parent club Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) detailed development plan they had prepared for his success. [1] [5]
In his debut professional season, Rifai appeared in 69 games with the Marlies, recording 16 points in the regular season before appearing in 5 playoff games with the team. At the conclusion of his season with the Marlies, the Maple Leafs signed Rifai to a two-year, entry level NHL contract on July 1, 2023. [6] He again began his sophomore season on the Marlies, playing with the team until February. On February 18, 2024, Rifai was recalled by the Maple Leafs on an emergency basis, after a suspension to Morgan Rielly and the absence of three other team defencemen in the preceding days (Mark Giordano from the recent death of his father, and Conor Timmins and William Lagesson to injury). [7] He made his NHL debut the following afternoon, recording 11:33 of ice time and 1 shot on the bottom defence pairing in a 4–2 win over the St. Louis Blues. [8]
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2014–15 | Hotchkiss School | HS Prep | 24 | 2 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2015–16 | Hotchkiss School | HS Prep | 19 | 3 | 16 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2016–17 | Hotchkiss School | HS Prep | 21 | 9 | 19 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2017–18 | Omaha Lancers | USHL | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2017–18 | Des Moines Buccaneers | USHL | 37 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2018–19 | Harvard University | ECAC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2019–20 | Harvard University | ECAC | 30 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2021–22 | Harvard University | ECAC | 35 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2022–23 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 69 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 118 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
2023–24 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 57 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 71 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
2023–24 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
Terrence James Brennan is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for HC Ajoie of the National League (NL). Brennan was originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, 31st overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, and has also previously played for the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL level. Brennan has been cited as an elite offensive AHL defenseman, scoring at a pace of nearly a point-per-game, a rare feat for a defender.
Colin Peter Greening is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played for the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Senators in the seventh round, 204th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Nikita Igorevich Zaitsev is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Morgan Frederick Rielly is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the first round, fifth overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Before being drafted, Rielly played with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. He has represented Canada internationally on several occasions, most notably at the 2016 World Championship, where he won a gold medal.
Alex Biega is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Biega was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 5th round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and played the majority of his career with the Vancouver Canucks.
Francesco Corrado is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round, 150th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Corrado made his NHL debut for the Canucks during the 2012-13 season. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Andreas Karl Johnsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger for Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Johnsson played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round, 202nd overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Calle Rosén is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Frédérik Gauthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently under contract with HC Ajoie of the National League (NL). Gauthier was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, 21st overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft after spending three years with the Rimouski Océanic in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Gauthier became a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization following the 2014–15 season. During his developmental years with the Maple Leafs American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, he helped them clinch their first Calder Cup in franchise history.
Joshua Leivo is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing under contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He had previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) within the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues organization.
Travis Dermott is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Utah NHL team of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dermott was rated as a top prospect projected as a possible first round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft but was ultimately selected in the second round, 34th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has previously played for the Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks and the Arizona Coyotes.
Tobias Lindberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger who is currently playing with Eispiraten Crimmitschau of the DEL2. He has previously played in the HockeyAllsvenskan (Allsv), and in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lindberg was a member of the 2015 Memorial Cup champion Oshawa Generals.
Mikko Kokkonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect under contract to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 84th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Justin Holl is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted in the second round, 54th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Pontus Holmberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
William Lagesson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round, 91st overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Nicholas Robertson is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 53rd overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he had 1 goal in 4 games. He is the younger brother of Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson.
Simon Benoit is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Dmitri Ovchinnikov is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) on loan as a prospect for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 137th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Bobby McMann is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).