TORONTO (CP) -- Daniil Markov, who reminds coach Mike Murphy of Darius Kasparaitis, has earned a shot with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

 Markov, 21, who has been playing with the AHL farm club at St. John's, was Toronto's seventh pick in the 1995 NHL entry draft. He was to start against the visiting Buffalo Sabres if Rob Zettler's aching back kept him out of the lineup Wednesday night. 

 "He reminds me of some of the other tough Russian defencemen in this league, players like Kasparaitis (of the Pittsburgh Penguins)," Murphy said. 

 Markov raised eyebrows during training camp with his hard-hitting style. 

 "I am really excited and looking forward to playing here," he said through teammate Dmitri Yushkevich, who acted as an interpretor.

"He has dreamed about wearing a Maple Leafs jersey," said Yushkevich.