Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe provided an update on his injured goaltender who has been dealing with a knee injury.
PITTSBURGH — When Ilya Samsonov was spotted in full equipment just one day after he injured his knee against the Boston Bruins, there was optimism that the Russian goaltender might return sooner than expected.
But it’s been three weeks since Samsonov got into game and it looks he won’t return until Wednesday at the very earliest.
“I would say he’s progressing really well and it seems like he’s doing more and more and is less limited each day,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told said before his team visited the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Keefe added that because he had known that Samsonov was not available for the team’s current road trip that he had not asked about the medical staff about his goaltender’s status.
Toronto concludes their four-game trip against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday and Erik Kallgren will get the nod in goal against the Penguins on Saturday.
Samsonov has performed well for the Maple Leafs this season and was called on more than expected when goaltender Matt Murray injured his adductor/groin on Oct. 15.
The 25-year-old Samsonov has a 6-2-0 record and a .921 save percentage. He signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract with the Leafs, just two days after the Washington Capitals elected not to tender the goaltender a qualifying offer to retrain his rights.
When Samsonov injured himself while attempting to stop Brad Marchand’s penalty shot attempt on Nov. 5, it left the Maple Leafs without both Murray and Samsonov, leaving Kallgren to carry the load.
On the following day, Keefe mentioned he had more of an interest in how Murray was coming along given he was without both of his first-string goaltenders
Murray returned on Nov. 15 and has been stellar in Toronto’s net. The 28-year-old is 4-0-1 and has posted a .934 save percentage this month.
With Murray performing well, it’s understandable that there isn’t the same level of urgency in awaiting Samsonov’s return.
Perhaps that changes if Kallgren struggles against the Penguins after an unforced error by the goaltender led to a different result.
On Nov. 21, his Maple Leafs were leading the New York Islanders 2-1 late in the third period when Kallgren played the puck behind the net and caused a turnover that led to Josh Bailey’s tying goal.
The Islanders ended up winning the game 3-2 in overtime.
“I had already forgotten about the situation and the team is just going to focus on playing here today,” Keefe said of Kallgren and the game. “Erik’s dealt with different situations that have come his way very well throughout his time here. He’ll have a fresh mind and be ready to go.”