Ilya Samsonov News

Joseph Woll suffered his worst performance of the season, allowing four goals on 27 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and as a result, the team appears it will turn back to Ilya Samsonov on Thursday night. In five games (2-1-1), Samsonov has an unimpressive 3.99 GAA and .841 SV% and won't have the luxury of easing his way back into form as the Maple Leafs take on the only Eastern Conference team without a regulation loss, the Boston Bruins (8-0-1).

Samsonov will take the crease Saturday against Nashville after being pulled a week earlier vs. Tampa Bay after allowing three goals on four shots (.250 SV%) in his previous start. The 26-year-old is fighting for the starting position in the Maple Leafs' crease with Joseph Woll due to his slow start which has him with a 2-1-0 record, .831 SV% and a 4.34 GAA. He'll face the Nashville Predators on the road, who snapped a two-game winning streak with a loss to Vancouver last game and are 18th in the NHL in goals per game (2.86).

Samsonov will return to the starter's crease on Thursday after watching Joseph Woll allow three goals on 30 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Despite a perfect 2-0-0 record, Samsonov has been shaky in the Maple Leafs crease this season, posting a 4.42 GAA and .839 SV%. Samsonov will look to get his game back on track against a Florida Panthers team that has struggled out of the gate, being outscored 11-8 in their first three games (1-2-0). Last season, Samsonov recorded an excellent 1.44 GAA and .953 SV% in three games against the Panthers (2-0-1) before ultimately losing favour to Woll in the Maple Leafs' 4-1 series loss to them in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Samsonov allowed five goals on only 24 shots but was able to shut the door in overtime and the shootout en route to securing a 6-5 win for the Maple Leafs over the Montreal Canadiens in their first game of the season. Despite the shaky performance, Samsonov will tend the crease again for the Maple Leafs on Saturday in their matchup against the Wild. In his sole meeting against the Wild last season, Samsonov had one of his top performances, saving 24 of 25 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory. The Wild, who ranked 22nd in the league offensively last season (2.91 goals/GM), are coming off a 2-0 victory in their season-opener against the Florida Panthers.

After a successful first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in which he competed for the starting role, Samsonov will begin the 2023-24 campaign as the undisputed starting goalie for the Maple Leafs. Samsonov posted a 2.33 GAA and .919 SV in 42 games (27-10-5) last season, awarding him a one-year, $3.55 million contract through arbitration. Samsonov faced some difficulties in the preseason but still managed a 2-0-1 record despite a pedestrian 2.96 GAA and .879 SV%. Even so, Samsonov should feel confident facing a Montreal Canadiens team that ranked seventh-worst offensively last season, averaging only 2.77 goals per game. Conversely, the Maple Leafs ranked seventh-best defensively, allowing an average of 2.68 goals per game. In two contests against the Canadiens last season, Samsonov posted a 1.99 GAA and .923 SV% along with a 1-0-1 record.

After a successful first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in which he competed for the starting role, Samsonov will begin the 2023-24 campaign as the undisputed starting goalie for the Maple Leafs. Samsonov posted a 2.33 GAA and .919 SV in 42 games (27-10-5) last season, awarding him a one-year, $3.55 million contract through arbitration. Samsonov faced some difficulties in the preseason but still managed a 2-0-1 record despite a pedestrian 2.96 GAA and .879 SV%. Even so, Samsonov should feel confident facing a Montreal Canadiens team that ranked seventh-worst offensively last season, averaging only 2.77 goals per game. Conversely, the Maple Leafs ranked seventh-best defensively, allowing an average of 2.68 goals per game. In two contests against the Canadiens last season, Samsonov posted a 1.99 GAA and .923 SV% along with a 1-0-1 record.

Samsonov was 27-10-5 with a 2.33 GAA and .919 SV% through 42 games played in his first season in Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $3.55 million contract through arbitration. The 26-year-old goaltender was a first-round selection in 2015 (22nd overall) with Washington and has a 79-32-13 career record with a 2.65 GAA and .908 SV% across 131 NHL games played.

Samsonov was taken out of Game 3 after 20:37 TOI due to an undisclosed injury and will be out for Game 4. The 26-year-old is considered day-to-day and will be replaced by Joseph Woll as the Maple Leafs' starter. He will hope Toronto is able to stay alive beyond Game 4 so that he can work to improve his 4-4-0 record, 3.13 GAA and .898 SV%.

Samsonov allowed six goals on 29 shots (.793 SV%) for one of his toughest losses of the season as he was downed by Tampa Bay in Game 1. The 26-year-old had a great first regular season in Toronto, with his 27-10-5 record, .919 SV% and 2.33 GAA. He will be hoping for better results in Game 2 against the Lightning, who finished the regular season eighth in the NHL in goals per game (3.41).

Samsonov closed out his impressive inaugural season with the Maple Leafs with a 27-10-5 record, .919 SV% and 2.33 GAA and is the expected starter for Game 1 vs. Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old brings in eight games of NHL playoff experience, where he is 1-6-0 with a 2.98 GAA and .907 SV%. He will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who rounded out the year with a 46-30-6 record and were eighth in the NHL in goals per game (3.41).

Samsonov closed out his impressive inaugural season with the Maple Leafs with a 27-10-5 record, .919 SV% and 2.33 GAA and is the expected starter for Game 1 vs. Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old brings in eight games of NHL playoff experience, where he is 1-6-0 with a 2.98 GAA and .907 SV%. He will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who rounded out the year with a 46-30-6 record and were eighth in the NHL in goals per game (3.41).