Playing alongside Auston Matthews on the Toronto Maple Leafs isn’t for the faint of heart. The pressure in Hogtown is unmatched across the NHL. Some thrive under it, others crumble. Many fall right in the middle. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov showed flashes of brilliance and inconsistency in Toronto, but his first season after leaving the Leafs was anything but memorable.
Samsonov has failed to replicate the success he had in the 2022-23 NHL season. After enduring a considerable drop in his production in the 2023-24 campaign, the Russian netminder signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, his performance wasn’t any better in Sin City.
The Golden Knights rolled their dice on Samsonov, but it didn’t pay off. Hoping to run the table, Vegas ended up watching the tables turn. Now an unrestricted free agent, the netminder is still waiting for a team to take him off the market.
However, Samsonov will also have to play his part and help his chances. According to reports, the 28-year-old will see his contract take another cut if he signs for the 2025-26 NHL season.
Ilya Samsonov #35 of the Vegas Golden Knights takes a break during a stop in play in the third period of a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Ilya Samsonov earned $1.8 million this past season with the Vegas Golden Knights, and he likely wouldn’t get more this [next season],” The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau stated.
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Could he return to Toronto?
While fans in The Six keep a fond memory of Samsonov’s time in Ontario, his last season wasn’t the best ending. Samsonov, who started his NHL journey with the Washington Capitals, could now be joining the fourth team of his career. As it stands, a second chapter in Toronto doesn’t seem to be in the works.
The Maple Leafs are in no need for a goaltender. They currently boast a tandem that can hold its ground against any offense in the NHL. When healthy, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll give Matthews and company as good a chance as any goaltending duo to win games and contend for silverware.
One year at a time
Aside from his three-year entry-level contract with the Capitals, Samsonov and job security have become two terms that rarely fall in the same sentence. Since his first deal in the NHL, the goaltender has signed for one-year contracts in three consecutive offseasons.
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The 2025 free agency period doesn’t appear to be an exception to the rule, as Samsonov is expected to land yet another short-term deal—assuming he remains in the NHL. After a string of rocky seasons, a return to Russia and the KHL can’t be completely ruled out.
