With news that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ilya Samsonov are headed to an arbitration hearing, one thing is clear, Brad Treliving has drawn a hard line for the organization with their starting netminder and they’re prepared to go through hours of metaphorical hell to get the number where it needs to be.
Considering how seldomly an arbitration case actually gets in front of an arbitrator — the consequences of sitting a player down and pointing out all of his faults can be disastrous –, it’s clear that Toronto’s new general manager isn’t pulling punches to get what he feels is right or best for the organization. The stars of the Maple Leafs, particularly William Nylander might want to be paying attention.
Trelving Wants One Good Year Out Of Samsonov
Prepared to lose their starting netminder after next season as a result of this hearing, Treliving is focused on the now. For a player like Nylander, this might be a rude awakening that, if the ultimate goal is to stay in Toronto, there needs to be some give, and a little less take. You don’t play chicken with this new GM because, if the Samsonov arbitration case proves anything, it’s that Treliving will use your talents for one season and then let you leave.
When it comes to Samsonov, this is a player that is well within his rights to use the tools at his disposal to get a deal he’s comfortable with. If that means being awarded a one-year extension and then earning the right to test the market next summer, it’s hard to fault him. However, the Leafs had a choice to avoid this and they’ve elected to take a firm stance.
Does Samsonov’s Situation Compare to Others?
Removing the obvious fact that the biggest names on the Maple Leafs’ roster are not eligible for arbitration, it might be fair to argue that Samsonov probably thought he was in a situation where he had real leverage. He posted a career-best .919 save percentage and helped carry the club to their first playoff series victory in 19 years. That should have given him the clout to get multiple seasons on an extension and at a much higher number than the $1.8 million contract he just finished. It didn’t.
Not only did Treliving not cave to whatever pressure might have existed to get this done, but he also let the netminder file for arbitration. When many believed that was just a play to open the buyout window to ultimately rid the Leafs of the Matt Murray contract, it became clear that this hearing was as much about Samsonov’s situation as it was about Murray’s.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Samsonov, Acciari, Robertson & Murray
Undoubtedly, there’s certainly an element of risk for the Leafs by letting this get in front of an arbitrator. That said, considering Samsonov’s small sample size of strong play, the Leafs weren’t prepared to do anything more than they were fully comfortable with and the arbitrator is unlikely to heavily rule in favor of the player. The Maple Leafs are betting on that fact. If they can get their starter for one more season at a reasonable rate, they’ll take it and deal with the rest later.
Will Nylander Take Notice?
The consequences are that Samsonov will potentially walk away from this whole process a bitter individual who has his heart set on proving the team wrong and then leaving. Treliving is apparently OK with that too because it gives the Leafs one really strong season out of a netminder in a year where the Leafs absolutely have to win and the goalie has a lot to prove. It’s this next season where Nylander’s situation draws real comparisons.
While Samsonov is clearly not in the same tier of player that three of the Maple Leafs’ stars are, for Nylander, watching how Treliving does business might be in his best interest. If he wants to stay in Toronto, this might serve as a bit of a wake-up call. If he wants the money, a good season means he’ll eventually get it, but the Maple Leafs are going to use him for everything he’s got next year, make him prove his worth, and then potentially trade his rights or let him leave if he’s destined to make that money elsewhere. What’s most important to Treliving is this coming season. Nylander offers real value there.
Treliving is prepared to lose the team’s best goaltender next summer. He might also be prepared to lose one of the team’s best wingers. If Nylander doesn’t want to go, it’s time to back off that $10 million ask a little.
