The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a notable roster, as goaltender Ilya Samsonov has been called back up to their NHL roster. In a corresponding move, fellow Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby has been sent back down to the American Hockey League (AHL).
The Maple Leafs memorably placed Samsonov on waivers back on Jan. 1 due to his consistently poor play. From there, the 2015 first-round pick cleared waivers and was sent down to the AHL to join the Toronto Marlies. However, following his demotion, Samsonov did not skate for the Marlies until Tuesday’s team practice (Jan. 9). He also did not make a start for the Marlies.
Samsonov, 26, will now be looking to turn things back around after being recalled by the Maple Leafs. The 2023-24 season has been a nightmare for him, and the truth is in his stats. In 15 appearances for Toronto this campaign, he sports a 5-2-6 record, a 3.94 goals-against average (GAA), and a .862 save percentage (SV%).
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While Samsonov is having a bad season, there’s hope that he can bounce back. Keep in mind, he had a .919 SV% and a 2.33 GAA just last season with the Maple Leafs, so maybe this temporary demotion to the AHL could be the spark that helps him get back on track.
As for Hildeby, his brief stay with the Maple Leafs was pretty uneventful. Due to Martin Jones’ spectacular play as of late, the promising prospect did not make an appearance during his call-up. However, he did have the chance to be with and practice with the NHL team for over a week. That is never a bad thing.
We will now need to wait and see how well Samsonov performs now that he is being given another chance with the Maple Leafs. As for Hildeby, he will look to build on his strong season with the Marlies from here.
