Toronto Maple Leafs: Ilya Samsonov the Ideal Low-Risk Signing

In adding Ilya Samsonov as their second goaltender, the Toronto Maple Leafs have possibly found the lowest risk, highest reward signing.

At 25 years old and still being a restricted free agent at the end of his one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ilya Samsonov is a smart, low-risk signing.

To spend $1.8 million on a goalie when you’re already spending roughly $4.7 million on Murray is a safe bit of business. Indeed, the near $6.4 million in net is still cheaper than plenty of other market options.

What makes this such a smart low-risk play is that we might very well have not yet seen the best of Ilya Samsonov – he likely has plenty more to give.

Toronto Maple Leafs Shrewd to Pick Up Ilya Samsonov

Comparing his deal to another free agency signing, Samsonov is costing just $250,000 more than a 37 year-old Jaroslav Halak will be paid by the New York Rangers this year.

Of course, that isn’t the perfect comparison as Halak is the veteran journeyman with 556 games of NHL experience to his name, but it still speaks to how much of a bargain Ilya Samsonov might prove to be for the Toronto Maple Leafs if this signing pays off.

Last season, Samsonov was in net for the Washington Capitals in 44 games; this year, he’ll get to compete for the net with Murray, while the Leafs reap the benefits of internal competition.

Samsonov certainly had an impressive enough stat-line in the KHL before heading to America and looking at his first season across 26 games, his 0.913 save percentage and 2.55 goals-against-average suggested he was possibly another gem of a Russian goalie.

That one season really speaks to the low-risk element of this deal.

Samsonov should bounce back at least somewhat in his first season with the Maple Leafs, and if he doesn’t, his low cap hit can easily be waived or transferred to the Marlies, when the Leafs find a replacement.

The Leafs finished last year 4th overall despite the 27th best 5v5 goaltending in the NHL.  They don’t need Samsonov to win a Vezina, they will improve if he’s merely average.

If he out-performs his contract, the Torotno Maple Leafs still retain his signing rights courtesy of his restricted contract status and can deal with finding the money to re-sign him as and when.