The calendar year of 2023 and start of 2024 wasn’t great for Ilya Samsonov. On December 31st of 2023 the Toronto Maple Leafs placed Samsonov on waivers two days after allowing 6 goals on 21 shots in a OT loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. 2024 kicked off with Samsonov clearing waivers and reporting to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. At the time of his demotion Samsonov was 5-2-6 with a career worst in save percentage(.826) and goals against average(3.94)

Samsonov’s tenure in the AHL was brief, not playing a game for the Marlies while he was there. Samsonov was eventually recalled on January 10th. Upon his return, Samsonov spoke about the demotion being a wake up call.

“You’re sad, yeah? But it’s nice signal for your brain and your body: Man, you need to wake up and get back on track, and working hard as you can.”

Samsonov’s first game back in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs came on January 14th against the Detroit Red Wings in which he allowed 3 goals on 23 shots in a loss, finishing the game with a .870 save percentage. Samsonov would bounce back nicely in his following 3 starts going 3-0 with 1 shutout and only allowing 3 goals total in that span.

Samsonov would go on to finish the year with the Leafs, posting a solid win-loss record of 23-7-8. Despite the win-loss record, Samsonov still finished the year with the worst save percentage(.890) and goals against average(3.13) of his career.

With last year now behind him, Samsonov will get a fresh start in Vegas. The question will be, what level of goaltending will Samsonov give the Golden Knights? GM Kelly McCrimmon will be hoping that Samsonov can replicate the kind of seasons he gave the Washington Capitals as a rookie in the 2019-2020 season and the Toronto Maple Leafs in his first year in Toronto during the 2022-2023 season.

Both of those years Samsonov showed glimpses of why he was so highly touted after being drafted in the 1st round in the 2015 NHL draft. During his rookie season with the Capitals, Samsonov appeared in 26 games going 16-6-2 and posting a .913 save percentage. After struggling in the next two seasons for the Capitals, Samsonov signed with the Leafs has a free agent prior to the 22-23 season. Samsonov was able to return to form from his rookie season and had a career year for the Leafs setting a career high in wins(27) and save percentage(.919).

If Samsonov is able to provide that type of goaltending, the Knights will be in good shape with Adin Hill handling the majority of the work load with Samsonov stepping in when called upon. While Mike Rosati is the Golden Knights goaltending coach, former NHL goaltender Sean Burke is the teams director of goaltending. There is no doubt Burke, who has 324 NHL wins to his name, will work closely with Samsonov during training camp come September.

In the event that Samsonov does struggle however, the Knights have 24 year-old Akira Schmid that the team acquired in a draft day trade this past June, waiting in the wings. Schmid signed a 2 year $875k contract and will be competing with Samsonov for the back-up role in training camp. If called upon, Schmid has shown he can play at the NHL level. During the 22-23 season, Schmid appeared in 18 games for the Devils going 9-5-2 with a real strong .922 save percentage.