Ilya Samsonov's return to the KHL shows that it's not easy for veteran goaltenders of his stature to find security in the NHL. Teams are hesitant to give that term, while that security is what goaltenders look for.
Former Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights goalie Ilya Samsonov left the NHL with the announcement he’d signed a multi-year contract in the KHL.
The 28-year-old signed for two years with the KHL's Sochi, wrapping up, at least for now, a six-year NHL career.
In the end, the relatively modest job security of a two-year deal was better than what any NHL team was likely willing to offer to Samsonov.
So, he took the two years rather than accepting less than one full year in the NHL. But it’s not as if NHL GMs had something against Samsonov.
The fact is that the goalie market at this point is more about a few years of job security than it is about breaking the bank in free agency.
Look around, and you’ll see many goaltenders of high renown accepting far less than the $10-million-per-year high-water contract that the Florida Panthers gave out to veteran Sergei Bobrovsky in 2019.
With the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, respectively, Jeremy Swayman and Connor Hellebuyck signed for less than $9 million per season. A driving factor for most goaltenders when signing these contracts is the safety of term, not so much challenging Bobrovsky’s payday.
The Minnesota Wild gave Filip Gustavsson less than $7 million per year, but he got a lot of term there, as well. In Toronto, the Maple Leafs’ tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz will account for about $7.4 million next season.
We could go on, but here are a couple more examples: The Los Angeles Kings have Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg signed for a combined $7.5 million. And the Anaheim Ducks gave Lukas Dostal five years of term, but they got him at $6.5 million.
This means, with every longer-term contract handed out, there are fewer opportunities for veterans like Samsonov.
There are only 64 total goalie jobs, and if all other goalies are only going to get one-year offers in free agency for around $1 million per year, you’d be a fool not to consider playing overseas, especially when you’ve got the safety of a two-year contract being offered to you.
There’s a reason goalies are more interested in contract term than dollar amount. It’s because they know the goalie profession is a fickle one. If you know you’re under contract for another three or four years, that’s a huge psychological weight off your back.
Indeed, New York Rangers star goalie Igor Shesterkin is earning $11.5-million and getting a lot of contract term as well. But we’d say he’s the exception that proves the rule, and the rule is teams would rather hand out term than Bobrovsky-type money.
It wouldn't be a shock if other goalies eventually follow Samsonov into the KHL. If the years are the same, and the money is still the same, sure, pick the NHL.
However, if those two factors are in the KHL’s favor, it’s smart to follow that lead. That’s not hockey sense, that’s business-of-hockey sense.
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