Former Maple Leafs Goalie Hits New Career Low, Signs Multi-Year Deal Overseas
Ilya Samsonov was a once promising goaltender in the NHL, but now his career has hit an all-time low as he's signed a deal in the KHL.
The talent we see in net in the National Hockey League is at an all-time high in 2025/26, with every team around the league putting forth a talented starter in that role, and unfortunately, that's pushed some intriguing talents to the AHL or other leagues entirely.
Now, we've seen that with a former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, as Ilya Samsonov, once one of the most promising goaltenders in the league has now been forced to depart not only the NHL, but North America as well.
Ilya Samsonov Signs In The KHL
After struggling to find a role in the NHL in free agency, the former Maple Leafs and Golden Knights goaltender has officially departed North America, signing a two-year deal with HC Sochi in the KHL.
In his first season with Vegas in 2024/25, Samsonov posted a solid 2.82 GAA and an .891 save percentage over 29 appearances, and while he wasn't perfect, he showed more than enough to be a capable backup in the NHL.
Despite the thin goaltender market in free agency this past summer, Samsonov just never got a concrete offer from anywhere in the NHL, and now, he's looking to bounce back and find his footing once more in the KHL.
At 28-years of age, Samsonov will have plenty of time to potentially push for an NHL comeback in the coming years, and if he can find his best game once more for HC Sochi, this shouldn't be the last we see of him in the NHL, but for now, only time will tell.
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