Ex-Maple Leafs Ilya Samsonov Hits Waivers: What’s Next?

Well, here’s a name Toronto Maple Leafs fans might remember. Ilya Samsonov was placed on waivers Sunday by the San Jose Sharks, just a couple of weeks after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the club. If he clears, the plan appears to be a trip to the AHL, where he could become a call-up option if San Jose runs into injuries in goal.

Nothing particularly dramatic about that. Waivers are part of the annual NHL roster shuffle. But seeing Samsonov’s name there does make you stop for a second. This is the same goalie who, not all that long ago, looked like he might have found a home in Toronto.

Maple Leafs Fans Will Remember When Samsonov Looked Like the Answer.

Samsonov arrived in Toronto in 2022 on a one-year, $1.8 million contract after Washington decided not to give him a qualifying offer. The Maple Leafs were hoping he could establish himself after an uneven start to his NHL career. And for a while, he did exactly that.

In 2022-23, Samsonov went 27-10-5 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage over 42 games. Those were career-best numbers, and he became a pretty important part of the Leafs' 50-win season.

There was even a stretch that tells you just how good he could be. Samsonov won 15 consecutive home decisions that season, one of the longest such streaks in Maple Leafs history.

Then came the next season. Samsonov still won plenty of games — 23-7-8 in 40 appearances. However, his save percentage dropped to .890, and his goals-against average climbed to 3.13. Toronto eventually placed him on waivers in January 2024 after an especially difficult start. And now here we are again.

The Goalie Position Can Be a Strange Business.

Samsonov's story reminds us that goaltending isn't always a straight line. A goalie can look like a potential long-term answer one year and be fighting for an NHL job a couple of years later. Samsonov has gone from a Washington first-round pick to a Toronto starter, to Vegas, and now to San Jose after spending last season in the KHL.

In 14 games for HK Sochi in 2025-26, he went 3-8-0 with a 3.27 GAA and a .903 save percentage. Those numbers don't exactly scream NHL comeback, but they also don't suggest someone who's forgotten how to stop a puck.

That's probably the interesting part for me. Samsonov is only 29. He's been a good NHL goalie before. The Sharks didn't sign him because they thought he had nothing left.

Is There Still an NHL Goalie Left in Ilya Samsonov?

Sometimes a goalie just needs another opportunity. And if he clears waivers, Samsonov will have to work again and earn the next one. Funny how quickly things can change in this business.

What we know is that he's been a good NHL goalie. We don't know whether he can do it again. That’s the big question.