Just last night, one of my favourite Toronto Maple Leafs “people,” Joe Bowen, tweeted “I feel awful for Jack Campbell. He was so good while here in Toronto but took it upon himself when things went badly. Ilya Samsonov is doing the same thing. So much of goaltending is Between the Ears and both goalkeepers need Positive reinforcement and less time with the press.”
Bowen is right, of course. He gets to watch these young Maple Leafs players because he’s the radio voice (with colour man Jim Ralph) of the team. Sometimes, I just listen to games rather than watch them because I enjoy the two radio announcers. Bowen has a unique insight because he’s been at this for many seasons – this is his 42nd season of calling Maple Leafs games.
In this post, I’m going to expand on Bowen’s insight and discuss Ilya Samsonov’s recent struggles and then compare them to Campbell’s. Both young men seem like good guys, which perhaps might be part of the problem.
Ilya Samsonov’s Struggles in the Maple Leafs Crease
Samsonov’s early-season struggles in the net are obvious. Two nights ago (Nov. 6), he was yanked from the Tampa Bay Lightning game after allowing four first-period goals to put his team behind the 8-ball with a 4-1 deficit. Also, just two weeks before (Oct. 21), he did something similar, giving up three goals to put his team in arrears by a 3-1 score.
Related: Ex-Maple Leaf Jack Campbell & His Season with the Oilers
Fortunately, his partner, Joseph Woll, relieved him and had two amazing games. Miraculously, the Maple Leafs came roaring back to win both games in overtime. While those games went into the win column, that didn’t help Samsonov. His demeanour was despondent.
The situation of letting his team down weighed heavily on him. The 26-year-old openly admitted that he felt rotten due to his poor performances, and after the October game, he described his current state as “s–t.” His struggles have been affecting him mentally. He hasn’t avoided talking to the press, and he admits that it’s a challenging phase in his career.
Samsonov’s Struggles in His Own Head
On Monday night, as Samsonov sat dejectedly on the bench after being pulled, you could see it all over his face. He was confused, embarrassed, and (in his own mind) guilty of putting his team in a horrible spot. Samsonov was down. He knew (somewhere inside) he was a better player than he was showing. And he has no idea what the issue is.
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He had a great season in 2022-23. While Samsonov admitted the importance of letting the situation breathe and working to clear his head, he also noted the mental anguish of feeling like he’s letting both his “second family” (the team) and his actual “first” family down.
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Right now, while he is determined to work through this challenging phase in his career, he’s not certain how to do it. That much you can see in the vacant look in his eyes. While the support of his team and the coaching staff is crucial in helping him regain his confidence and form, right now, he hasn’t managed to do either.
Doesn’t Samsonov Remind Maple Leafs Fans of Jack Campbell?
Bowan called it correctly. Samsonov’s downturn and struggles are similar to those experienced by Edmonton Oilers goalie Campbell. Both players know the mental toll that weighs on them because they have struggled. Both goalies are now facing challenges that have affected their confidence and mental well-being.
After his solid season with the Maple Leafs, Campbell was valuable enough to be signed by the Oilers to a long-term contract worth $5 million per season until the end of 2026-27. After yesterday, he might not make it that long. The Oilers placed Campbell on the waiver wire for the purpose of demoting him to the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors.
Related: 3 Reasons Nick Robertson Must Make the Maple Leafs Roster
This move comes after a less-than-stellar time in Edmonton. In 41 games since joining the Oilers in July 2022, Campbell has posted a 22-13-4 record with a 3.53 goals-against average (GAA) and a .886 save percentage (SV%). This season, he has a 1-4-0 record with a GAA of 4.50 and a .873 SV% in five games.
Once the waiver process is complete, the Oilers will call up Calvin Pickard to serve as Stuart Skinner’s backup.
How Is Campbell’s Situation Similar to Samsonov’s
Samsonov and Campbell have faced difficulties stopping pucks and have allowed more goals than they are accustomed to. Both have lost confidence.
They also have similar personalities. Both share their feelings openly. They’re honest and don’t hide hurt and pain. Both are self-reflective. They’ve acknowledged their mental state has been affected and that they need to work through these challenges.
Third, both goalies have emphasized their difficulties are primarily mental. Their struggles aren’t due to physical or technical shortcomings. Instead, they stem from the psychological aspects of their unique positions as a goalie.
Fourth, on the positive side, both Samsonov and Campbell have had the support of their teammates and their coaching staff. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has stressed the importance of allowing time for Samsonov to rebound and regain his form. Such support is crucial.
Fifth, both goalies noted the need to figure out how to overcome their struggles. Both are committed to working through difficulties and getting back to the level of play they are capable of. One key has been to engage in mental coaching, where there’s an emphasis on maintaining a positive mindset.
Each Goalie Has His Unique Story with Unique Issues
While there are similarities between Samsonov’s and Campbell’s experiences, each goalie’s story is unique. The specific circumstances and challenges they face differ. Yet, the problems both Samsonov and Campbell are facing remind all of us about the importance of addressing mental health.
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That said, Samsonov and Campbell’s issues seem more profound because professional sports are so public. Sadly, although there’s a human need for a supportive environment, professional athletes are sometimes subjected to less than considerate criticism just when they have the most difficulty handling it. It can be a tough life living in a fishbowl.
Why Goalies Are More Susceptible to Mental Stress
It makes me wonder if NHL goalies are more susceptible to rough streaks than other athletes. Goalies are said to be different than other NHL athletes – a bit more quirky perhaps. The mental aspect of their role seems particularly challenging because of the unique demands placed on them.
First, goalies are isolated. They have an individual spotlight on them. They are alone on the ice. If they suffer a bad game or a rough streak, they tend to feel personally responsible for their team’s performance. That can be a heavy load to carry alone, which makes it mentally taxing.
Second, the position is filled with pressure. They are called “the last line of defence.” If they make a mistake, often the game is immediately over. As a result, their play has an instantaneous impact on the game’s outcome.
Third, goalies face amazingly skilled players. These players have practiced their moves since childhood and are the best of the best. The scoring chances are high quality. These opponents continually study film to adapt their games to a goalie’s tendencies and weaknesses.
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Fourth, if facing the best goal scorers in the world isn’t enough, goalies also face dumb luck. An innocent pass can ricochet off a teammate’s skate into the net from nowhere. If the skill doesn’t beat you, bad luck renders even the best goalies helpless. Some goalies successfully face down a barrage of shots and then a bounce off an opponent’s shoulder (Alex Tuch in the Sabres’ game) flops past them and over the goal line.
Fifth, goaltending, for some reason, is a streaky job. When a goalie is hot, he is unbeatable. The same goalie, in two games, can go on an immediate cold streak, where he can’t make saves he’s made hundreds of times before. Streaks are hard to predict and even harder to live with. Even the best goalies in the world need high degrees of mental resilience.
Samsonov and Campbell Now Seek to Rebuild Their Confidence
Confidence is a goalie’s best friend. While all goalies have struggles and failings, in my thinking, two things set good goalies apart. One is their skill. Without skill, they are just a pylon in front of the net. Second, a good goalie is confident.
Good goalies, regardless of whether they are beaten by a shot, retain a belief in their ability to stop pucks. If one beats them, the next one won’t. What adversity? They just missed one. They’ll get the next one. Goalies who maintain self-confidence through challenging times tend to find their game again.
Samsonov and Campbell are facing a mental hurdle, and whether they can overcome it will determine their future success. If Samsonov can regain his self-confidence and mental strength, he has the potential to be an outstanding goalie yet again. Until that time, his struggles will impact the team’s performance.
