Ilya Samsonov may have played his last game with the Maple Leafs.
Samsonov was placed on waivers Sunday afternoon, two days after he was lit up for six goals in Columbus.
The guy who was supposed to be the Leafs’ No. 1 goalie this season instead lost that job relatively quickly to Joseph Woll. Samsonov holds a lowly .862 save percentage, second-worst among NHL regulars this season.
The Leafs tried and tried to get Samsonov back on track. Goalie coach Curtis Sanford spent day after day with Samsonov before and after practice, working with him on his technique while also playing the role of counselor to the struggling goaltender. Samsonov and Sanford would frequently engage in long conversations as Samsonov tried to dispel the mental struggles that he said were affecting his play.
It never took.
It seemed inevitable. No one will claim him, let’s hope he goes to the Marlies and finds his form. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if they call up Hildeby for a look.
