The Maple Leafs have placed Ilya Samsonov on waivers.
General manager Brad Treliving had little choice.
The move on Sunday wasn’t unexpected, considering the struggles of the 26-year-old goaltender. The last gasp for Samsonov came on Friday night in Columbus, when he allowed six goals on 21 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss against the Blue Jackets.
Samsonov has not been able to reclaim his solid goaltending ways of last season, when he was seventh in the National Hockey League with a .919 save percentage.
To say Samsonov has stumbled in a big way in 2023-24 would be a large understatement. Among the 57 NHL goalies who have played at least 11 games, he is 56th with an .862 save percentage in 15 games. The only goalie with a worse save percentage is Antti Raanta of the Carolina Hurricanes, who has posted an .855 mark in 13 games.
Samsonov has been in the Leafs net for six losses beyond regulation. Clutch goaltending? Not quite.
In 15 games, Samsonov is 5-2-6. Consistent work with goalie coach Curtis Sanford, often before and after practice, has not helped solve the goalie’s problems. That the extra work has had no impact on Samsonov has to be among the Leafs’ concerns.
There was no corresponding move by the Leafs on Sunday, but the expectation is that if Samsonov clears waivers on Monday, the club will recall goalie Dennis Hildeby from the Toronto Marlies for its three-game trip to California this week. The Marlies on Sunday reportedly recalled goalie Luke Cavallin from Newfoundland of the ECHL, another indication that Hildeby soon will be on his way to the Leafs.
The Leafs play back-to-back in Los Angeles and Anaheim on Tuesday and Wednesday. Presumably, Martin Jones would get the start against the Kings, with Hildeby potentially making his NHL debut against the Ducks. The trip ends on Saturday in San Jose against the Sharks.
In 15 games with the Marlies, Hildeby is 7-5-3 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average.
It’s paramount that Jones continues to provide, at the least, adequate goaltending for the Leafs for the next several weeks.
Joseph Woll is not close to returning from a high ankle sprain, an injury he suffered in Ottawa against the Senators on Dec. 7.
This was coach Sheldon Keefe after the 3-2 loss against Carolina on Saturday, alluding to the winning goal coming with the Leafs net empty, in summing up Jones’ play: “He keeps them at two. That’s what you’re looking for.” Samsonov, who has allowed at least four goals in four starts since shutting out Nashville on Dec. 9, has not provided anything close.
All the while, Treliving has been on the hunt for a veteran netminder, but the prices have been high and there’s no fellow NHL GM who would be doing his job properly if he did Treliving a favour.
Samsonov currently is on a one-year, $3.55 million US contract, awarded by an arbitrator this past off-season and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. There is almost no chance he will be claimed by another NHL club.
Still, it’s quite possible Samsonov has played his last game with the Leafs.
