The Maple Leafs already took a decision regarding Ilya Samsonov

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Julien Trekker
May 15, 2024 (5:44 PM)

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It looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs already reached a verdict about the future of goaltender Ilya Samsonov in their organization.

After a season full of highs and lows for the 27-year-old Russian goaltender, it looks like his time in Toronto is coming to an end.

Whenever a contract is made after an arbitration hearing, we can guess that the affiliation between a player and a team is nearing its end. That's exactly the case with Samsonov. The goalie signed a one-year, $3,550,000 contract following standout performances in the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Since then, Samsonov struggled to perform with constancy. At one point, he was even sent to the Marlies, in the AHL.

Finally, in the playoffs, he couldn't make the big saves and had to let Joseph Woll bring the Leafs back on the right track. When he had to step in, he failed once again.

At their end-of-season press conference, the Leafs management didn't say that they would let Samsonov go on the free agent market this summer, but it sure looked like it.

A report from Daily Faceoff shed light on the situation:

"Samsonov is clearly a talented athlete, but the space between his ears has failed him one too many times during his tenure between Toronto's pipes. Treliving passed up any opportunity to name him as a piece of the Leafs' net last week during management's season-ending presser. It simply makes little sense to bring back a netminder with a penchant for allowing backbreaking goals."

Samsonov simply doesn't have what it takes to help the Leafs reach their goals. It would make much more sense to keep Martin Jones, who'll also be a free agent this summer, as Joseph Woll's number two, with Dennis Hildeby ready to fill in in case of emergencies.

Do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs will get rid of Ilya Samsonov this summer?

Source: Hockey Feed - Samsonov has played his last game as a Maple Leaf