Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Biggest Question: How Did Samsonov Play?

Last night, other than wins and losses, was how Ilya Samsonov would play against the Nashville Predators. How did he play in the game?

by
Old Prof
October 29, 2023

Perhaps as important as the win or the loss in last night’s game against the Nashville Predators was the play of Toronto Maple Leafs’ goalie Ilya Samsonov. His performance in the game against the Predators was not only a topic of fans’ discussion, but how he played could have an impact on what the team’s future looked like over the remainder of the season.

Specifically, if Samsonov could no longer give his team quality starts, what would the team do? He would become a similar situation to the 2020-21 season when Petr Mrazek struggled to win games. The Maple Leafs could barely wait to move him and had to send extra to the Chicago Blackhawks to take him at the 2021 NHL draft.

Samsonov Had a Decent Game, But a Loss Against the Predators

Last night against the Predators, Samsonov made 21 saves and had moments of strong play. Yet, there remained some concerns about his recent struggles and confidence. Below, I’ve included some key points regarding his performance. I’ve also included head coach Sheldon Keefe’s assessment of his play.

Key Point One: Samsonov Had a Mixed Performance

Samsonov had a mixed performance during in the game. He made some great saves; however, he also let in a goal that was described as “a touch weak” on the power play. There were periods of inconsistency in his performance. “Second and third I feel my game. It’s good for me,” he said.

Key Point Two: Samsonov Did Struggle with Confidence Issues

During the first period especially, Samsonov looked as if he were struggling with his confidence. At times, he seemed to be “squeezing his stick too hard.” That’s crucial because goaltending is a position where confidence is a crucial aspect of a his performance. Any dips in confidence can affect a goalie’s play.

Key Point Three: Samsonov Got a Positive Review from Coach Keefe

Despite the mixed performance of his game, head coach Sheldon Keefe had positive comments about Samsonov. He shared that Samsonov should feel good about his performance and that he looked solid.

Keefe also noted that Samsonov had moments where he resembled his strong form from last season. “It’s a good effort from him tonight. He did his job and gave us a chance to win, we just didn’t score enough for him,” the coach said. That Keefe has confidence in Samsonov’s ability suggests that his play has some measure of success.

Key Point Four: Samsonov Is in a Healthy Competition with Joseph Woll

The fact that Samsonov is engaged in a friendly competition from Joseph Woll during the early-season is not such a bad thing. This competition adds a bit of pressure and motivation for both goalies to play at their best.

In an interesting point made by Hockey Night in Canada‘s Kelly Hrudy (a former NHL goalie), Hrudy noted that – for him when he played – knowing that his goalie partner was playing well was good for his own confidence. Perhaps that’s true of Samsonov as well.

The Bottom Line

The fact is that Samsonov had a much improved performance during last night’s game. There were some concerns about his recent struggles and a need for his confidence to be boosted. However, his coach’s positive review of his play in the Nashville game suggests that his skill had rebounded a bit.

Still, before Samsonov can settle into a consistent role – either as the team’s starter or its backup – he needs to improve. There will be ups and downs along the way; and, these could affect his performances.

But last night, Samsonov made a small step forward. And, that’s better than taking another step back.