The Toronto Maple Leafs and goaltender Ilya Samsonov arbitration hearing has reached its final decision. The 26-year-old has been awarded a one-year, $3.55 million contract by an arbitrator.
Ilya Samsonov has been awarded a one-year contract worth $3.55M with the #leafs by an arbitrator.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 23, 2023
Samsonov filed for $4.9 million leading up to the hearing, while the Maple Leafs filed for $2.4 million. In the end, the arbitrator’s decision slightly favors the Maple Leafs’ request over Samsonov’s.
Samsonov’s 2022-23 Season
After a rough 2021-22 campaign, the Washington Capitals let Samsonov leave in free agency. The 2015 first-round pick posted a 3.02 goals-against average (GAA) and an .896 save percentage (SV%) in 44 games played in his final year as a Capital. Although he had a rough year, he turned things around immensely during his first year as a Maple Leaf and cemented himself as their starter in the process. In 42 appearances, he sported a 27-10-5 record, a 2.33 GAA, and a .919 SV%. It was by far the best regular season of the former top prospect’s career.
Samsonov did have mixed results during the playoffs, however, recording a 4-4-0 record, a 3.13 GAA, and an .898 SV% in nine appearances. Although he was not perfect during the postseason, his regular season showed that he has the tools to be a legitimate starting netminder. Now he will be aiming to build off of it with the Maple Leafs in 2023-24.
Samsonov Expected to Remain Maple Leafs’ Starter
After his solid 2022-23 season, Samsonov is expected to be the Maple Leafs’ starting goalie for this upcoming season. It would be hard for the Maple Leafs not to give him the role, as he earned it with his play this past season. The real question will be whether or not he can replicate his strong campaign during the 2023-24 season. The Maple Leafs will be hoping for it, as they of course have high expectations for the new season.
Although the Maple Leafs have a strong cast of stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, and John Tavares, they will need excellent goaltending if they hope to go on a real run in the extremely competitive Eastern Conference. As a result, Samsonov’s success is crucial for the team moving forward.
Samsonov Is Eligible to Be UFA Next Summer
Another important thing to note about Samsonov’s deal is that he will be eligible to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer. As a result, he is now entering an ever-so-important contract year. If he puts together another strong campaign, it could be exactly what lands him a notable raise with his next deal – whether that is with the Maple Leafs or another club.
Related: 3 Maple Leafs Wild Cards for the 2023-24 Season
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what kind of season Samsonov can put together from here. Although he did not get the result he wanted in his arbitration hearing, he still received a nice raise from his previous $1.8 million cap hit. If he has another strong year for Toronto, he will stand a good shot of getting another raise this summer.
