Man of the Week: Ilya Samsonov
KHL.ru’s weekly column returns with Ilya Samsonov. The famed netminder just returned to the KHL, signing a contract with HC Sochi and playing his first game on Sunday, helping the Black Sea franchise defeat Spartak 5:2 and halt a nine-game skid.
Last week’s top signing was undoubtedly Ilya Samsonov joining HC Sochi. It was kind of a surprise – with several teams higher in the standings and in need of more goaltending depth, he opted to sign with a bottom-of-the-standings team. Moreover, HC Sochi just changed head coach, with Vladimir Krikunov now acting as the team’s consulting coach and Dmitry Mikhailov taking the main decisions for the team. The first showing went well. Samsonov played forty minutes and stopped 30 shots out of 31, helping the team grab a 5:2 home win over Spartak, halting a nine-game skid. It was Samsonov’s first KHL game since 2018 after the netminder played more than 200 NHL games for the Washington Capitals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Early years
Ilya Samsonov was born on Feb. 22, 1997, in Magnitogorsk, a city that produced several high-profile players as forwards Evgeny Malkin and Nikolai Kulemin, defensemen like Evgeny Biryukov and Yegor Yakovlev, and goalie Artyom Zagidulin. Current Metallurg’s starting netminder Ilya Nabokov also spent most of his career within the system. Samsonov’s junior numbers with Stalnye Lisy in the JHL and early KHL appearances caught attention quickly: after the 2014–2015 junior year he was scouted as one of the top European goalies available and was drafted 22nd overall by the Washington Capitals in 2015.
Ranking up
That draft grade wasn’t idle hype. In his debut KHL full-time season, before crossing the Atlantic, he posted a 2.04 goals-against average and a 92.5 save percentage across 19 games in that post-draft season. That same season, in 2015-2016, he helped Metallurg lift the Gagarin Cup, acting as a backup to goalie Vasily Koshechkin, adding another six postseason appearances.
Samsonov played another two seasons in Magnitogorsk, again behind Koshechkin, but with increased games and responsibilities, playing 30 and 31 games, respectively. Moreover, he also had several chances to represent Russia on the international stage. He won bronze at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. Then, at the 2015 World U18 Championships in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland, he was named the top goaltender despite a disappointing fifth-place finish for Team Russia. Samsonov earned a silver medal at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland, and finished with a bronze at the 2017 World Juniors in Montreal and Toronto, Canada.
Move to North America
Following the 2017–2018 season, Samsonov embarked on his NHL career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. He spent his first year overseas with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. Samsonov made the opening night roster with the Capitals for the 2019–2020 season and he made his NHL debut in a start against the New York Islanders on Oct. 4, 2019. Samsonov made 25 saves in the 2:1 Capitals win. He spent three seasons with the Capitals, surpassing the 20-win mark in 2021-2022. As a free agent from the Capitals, Samsonov opted then to sign a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs., where he also played the next season.
With the Leafs, Samsonov had an excellent first season, but failed to back it up in the second year, when he was placed on waivers in December after he allowed a discouraging 22 goals in his last four games. As a free agent from the Maple Leafs, Samsonov inked another one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights. He played 29 games for the Arizona franchise, posting a 16-9-4 record, a 89.1% saves percentage and a GAA of 2.82.
Return to the KHL
After his stint in Vegas, Samsonov returned to Russia, where he was waiting for offers. Finally, in November, he found himself a new team and a new challenge. The Leopards had some ambitions for the season, but their place in the standings is a difficult one. However, there are still some fifty games to be played, and a goalie like Samsonov will give the team a chance in every game. Reaching the postseason will be hard, but not impossible. And they started well with a 5:2 win over Spartak.
