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The Toronto Maple Leafs Need More From Ilya Samsonov

By Jeremy Ridgewell

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 4: Ilya Samsonov #35 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for play to resume against the Florida Panthers during Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 4: Ilya Samsonov #35 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for play to resume against the Florida Panthers during Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have high hopes for the 2023-24 season. Those hopes rest on the shoulders of Ilya Samsonov. No matter how good or bad the team in front of him performs, he needs to come up big when they need him. As the number one goaltender, he is the last line of defense most nights.

Samsonov posted a 27-10-5 record for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. He will need to be even better this season. Although his predecessor Frederik Andersen had three seasons with over 30 wins, Andersen never helped the Leafs win a playoff round. Samsonov helped them beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in round one last season. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)

The Leafs have not had a dominating number-one goaltender since the era of Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour. Both had multiple 30+ win seasons and playoff series wins. Team President Brendan Shanahan, GM Brad Treliving, and head coach Sheldon Keefe hope Samsonov reaches that level this season.

Samsonov played 42 games last season despite some injuries. A healthy Samsonov should be able to play 55-65 games this season. Doing so should help reach the 30+ wins plateau. As good as Joseph Woll is, he still has little NHL experience. He went 6-1-0 in seven games last season but will get around 20 games this season as Samsonov’s backup.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Need More From Ilya Samsonov

With Samsonov going to salary arbitration and getting only a one-year deal that will end with him being a UFA, hopefully, he will have the best season of his career, and the Leafs will reap the rewards. I believe Samsonov has the skill and ability to become the first Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender to win 40 games in a single season. A lot will need to go right for that to happen, but I think it’s achievable.

My prediction for Samsonov this season is a record of 40-18-4 in 62 games. He will help the Leafs win the Atlantic Division and be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. As nice as that is, I hope the momentum that comes from all that carries over into the playoffs. If it does, the Leafs could go on a deep playoff run.

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The downside to all of this will be if such a great season prices Samsonov out of Toronto next summer. Toronto will have a decent amount of cap space after this season, but will they have enough to keep Samsonov as well as Auston Matthews and William Nylander? If the Leafs win the cup, then none of that will matter as much.

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