One former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie will likely be getting one last kick at the NHL can this season.
The goalie in question is Ilya Samsonov. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, two-way deal with the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
The deal pays $850K at the NHL level and $225K in the AHL. And it’s likely the Russian netminder’s last chance at The Bigs.
NHL: $850K Minors: $225K
Rep’d by Adel Mansurov @TheHockeyAgency
Last season, Samsonov signed in the KHL after flaming out with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25. The erstwhile Maple Leafs starting goalie appeared in 14 games for HK Sochi of the KHL, posting a 3.27 GAA and .903 SV%. The numbers are hardly impressive, but good enough to warrant what is essentially a minor-league deal.
For Samsonov, the contract allows him to get an invite to camp. And if things really go well for him, he might just eke out the backup role. However, he faces some stiff competition in what looks like a crowded Sharks net.
Once upon a time, the Maple Leafs believed that Samsonov could have been their goalie of the future. He played two seasons in Toronto, with one being much better than the second. In his first season with the Buds, he appeared in 42 games, posting a 2.33 GAA and a .919 SV%. The numbers were good, but not good enough for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. In nine postseason games, he notched a 3.13 GAA and an .898 SV%.
In the 2023-24 season, Samsonov bottomed out. He played 40 games, putting up a 3.13 GAA and an .890 SV%. But it was his loss in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins that pretty much sealed his fate in Toronto.
Samsonov Won’t Likely See the NHL Crease in San Jose
Now that the former Maple Leafs netminder will be getting one more chance, the likelihood of him seeing the NHL crease is slim.
The Sharks have two capable NHL goalies in Eric Comrie and Alex Nedeljkovic. Plus, prospect Yaroslav Askarov should get every chance to be the starter this season.
That situation puts Samsonov in a bit of a tough spot. Unless he can replicate the performance he had with the Maple Leafs in 2022-23, he’ll likely remain in the AHL for the foreseeable future.
That situation may not be entirely bad as it could allow Samsonov a new lease on the NHL.
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Another Club Could See What Maple Leafs Once Saw
Samsonov likely took this opportunity from the Sharks in hopes of landing another NHL job with a separate organization.
In fact, it’s a savvy move for the Sharks as another NHL team could see what the Maple Leafs once saw in Samsonov. And if that’s the case, San Jose could have a flippable asset in the Russian goalie.
Perhaps there might even be a reunion with the Maple Leafs, though something like that would be purely a depth move at the AHL or even ECHL level.
Ultimately, this is likely Samsonov’s last chance at the NHL. If he can’t prove he still has what it takes, the best the former first-round pick could hope for in an ongoing minor-league career.
Maple Leafs Former Goalie Gets One Last Kick at the Can