Toronto Maple Leafs
PHOTOS and VIDEO: Ilya Samsonov Returns to the Maple Leafs, Debuts Another New Mask
It's not clear what the Toronto Maple Leafs plans are for Ilya Samsonov, but the struggling goaltender was called up from the Toronto Marlies where he spent the last week getting a "mental reset".
Ilya Samsonov is back with the Toronto Maple Leafs. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to see any action.
The club called up the goaltender on Wednesday as the team sent down prospect goaltender Dennis Hildeby.
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The move has more to do with Hildeby getting into game action with the Marlies on Friday while practicing with the club on Thursday.
"That's really what it's about, but at the same time it gives us a chance to assess Ilya and give him an opportunity to get back with the group," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said.
Samsonov spent his first day back like most others. He worked with Martin Jones and goaltending coach Curtis Sanford before practice getting into some goalie ice. Samsonov joined for the full practice, while Jones stayed for just one practice shift before departing as the club stays mindful of the goalie's workload.
The 26-year-old Samsonov debuted yet another new paint job on his mask.
Samsonov didn't speak to reporters when requested on Wednesday but a closer look at his mask revealed gray portraits of legendary Maple Leafs along the white perimeter border of the mask. The rest of the design is reminiscent of his other designs with the Leafs. He also started the season with a mask that was a hybrid of Vesa Toskala and Curtis Joseph's design.
But none of the designs have yielded success for Samsonov on the ice. The goaltender has a 5-2-6 record this season with a 5-2-6 record and an .862 save percentage.
After clearing waivers, the Maple Leafs can send Samsonov up and down to the Marlies without exposing him again, so long as the goaltender doesn't play in a total of 10 games or stays up for 30 cumulative days on an NHL roster. After which, he'd have to go through waivers again.
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