Ilya Samsonov
Age: 26 (Turns 27 in February).
Height/Weight: 6’3″, 214 LBS
Contract: $3.5 Million cap-hit, expires after this season.
Draft: 1st Round, 22nd Overall, Washington Capitals 2015
Acquired: UFA
Role: Starting Goalie
Career Highs: 44 Games 21-22. 27 Wins, .919 Save Percentage, 2.30 GAA, 4 Shutouts 22-23
Last Year’s Stats: 42 Games, 27 Wins, .919 Save Percentage, 2.30 GAA, 4 Shutouts.
Last Year 5v5 Stats: .9274 5v5 Save Percentage 8th best among any goalie playing at least 1000 minutes.
Expectations: To be a star goalie on a top team.
Notes: For the cap-hit, considering his experience and upside, there aren’t too many goalies you’d rather have in the NHL, where there are only maybe four or five who are good every season.
That said, due to the unpredictability of the position, you don’t really know what you’re going to get with Samsonov. He could once again be a top goalie, but there are no guarantees outside of Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck and Sorokin.