Can Maple Leafs’ New Goalie Samsonov Be a Bit of a Wild Child?

Funny what you learn about someone with a little research. That’s especially true with someone as out-in-the-open as an NHL player like Ilya Samsonov. Even in Russia, the words and pictures (in this case video of Samsonov riding an ATV) can get out. 

Related: Why ex-Maple Leafs’ Nazem Kadri Will Sign In Colorado for Less

Is There Another Reason the Capitals Might Not Have Qualified Samsonov?

In a recent article, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox wrote about Ilya Samsonov. He noted the usual things that it’s good to know about an incoming goalie. 

For example, the 25-year-old Samsonov was a good pick-up by Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas. Check. That Samsonov was a first-round draft choice by the Washington Capitals in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Check. That Samsonov signed a one-year contract for $1.8 million. Check. Finally, Fox even suggested that Samsonov has a chance to start more games than Murray next season. Double check.

In Fox’s article, he noted that Dubas was impressed with Samsonov because he believed in himself enough to sign a “show-me” deal for less money. Specifically, Dubas was quoted to say:

“He really wanted it to be a one-year kind of show-me, bet-on-yourself type deal, which is not always common with players coming off of this shock of being non-QO’d when he wasn’t expecting it. That was impressive to me.”

Some Other Information About Samsonov

Fox then noted that Washington’s general manager Brian MacLellan had tried to trade Samsonov but couldn’t find a deal he wanted. As a result, the organization didn’t tender Samsonov a qualifying offer of $2.2-million. The result? Samsonov walked for nothing.

Finally, and what became the genesis of this post, Fox noted that sources close to the Capitals’ team had “whispered” that an ATV injury Samsonov had suffered back in Russia before the 2020 bubble playoffs were serious enough that Samsonov was scratched going into the postseason. That out-in-the-open recklessness had not “endeared” him to the team.  

Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov suffered an off-ice injury in Russia during the break and failed his return-to-play physical.

He is expected to be ready to go by the start of the 2020/21 season. pic.twitter.com/D8ygF44FkS

— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) July 31, 2020

In 2020, Russian journalist Alexei Shevchenko reported that Samsonov’s injury during the bubble playoffs summer was a result of an ATV accident suffered while he was home in Magnitogorsk, Russia.

Samsonov, then 23 years old, could not attend training camp before the bubble and did not join the team in the bubble.

“According to my information,” Shevchenko says on his YouTube channel, as translated by RMNB’s Igor Kleyner, “Ilya fell off a quadricycle (ATV) while riding in Magnitogorsk and injured his back and his neck… [his] injuries were serious.”

At the time, Shevchenko speculated the possibility that Samsonov’s relationship with the team might be damaged because of how the injury occurred. Shevchenko’s report has been shared widely in Russian sports news. 

Shevchenko was correct. Sources suggest that these bad feelings, generated because the team felt its player put himself before the team leading up to the 2020 bubble playoffs, had not been forgotten by the team. Whether or not that impacted his release, no one can speculate. It might just have been dollars and cents.

Samsonov’s Game Might Need Maturing (According to Capitals’ Sources)

Fox noted that the Capitals also believed that Samsonov had not matured his game sufficiently. They noted that, although Samsonov might be athletic and capable of highlight-reel moments, he could also drift off or lose his stick. He was also guilty of giving up soft goals at the wrong time in games. These gaffs would be momentum killers. 

Ilya Samsonov is officially gone. The former Capitals goaltender has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

His deal is reportedly worth $1.8 million. https://t.co/Vmv2jQErqn

— RMNB (@rmnb) July 13, 2022

Finally, Fox reported a Washington source saying that the team gave him opportunities to grab the No. 1 job, but Samsonov couldn’t do it. 

Hopefully, coaching and experience can help. If Samsonov can mature his game in the net, he could become an answer to the Maple Leafs’ need in goal.

Maple Leafs’ fans have to hope he won’t go ATVing during a break in the season.