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 National Hockey League (NHL)'s 2016 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 blueline 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 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] After appearing in one more game with the Maple Leafs, Rifai was returned to the Marlies. [9]
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.
Jacob Muzzin is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He previously had played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Muzzin went unsigned and returned to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as an overage player. There he served as team captain and won the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the top defenceman in the OHL. As a free agent, Muzzin signed with the Kings in 2010, winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 2014. Muzzin was traded to Toronto during the 2018–19 season, where he played parts of five seasons. After a spinal injury suffered in 2022 resulted in his placement on long-term injured reserve, Muzzin joined the Maple Leafs' front office as a professional scout in 2023.
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.
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).
Greg McKegg is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). McKegg was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
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 Hockey Club 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.
Timothy Winston Liljegren is a Swedish and American professional ice hockey defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Maple Leafs drafted him in the first round, 17th overall, in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Internationally, he represents Sweden.
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 for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Maxime Lajoie is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lajoie was chosen 133rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
William Lagesson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 91st overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Lagesson has also previously played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Topi Niemelä is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Niemelä was drafted 64th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, ranking within the top ten of European skaters.
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).