Opinion: Ilya Samsonov signing is another roll of the dice. Or maybe the management group believes the Leafs will score enough that the goaltending won’t matter, writes dfeschuk
Here’s the hard math now residing in Toronto’s goalmouth. The Maple Leafs’ new netminding tandem of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov will share a combined cap hit of about $6.5 million next season.
Never mind the unsettling unknowns around Murray, who has spent the past few seasons unsuccessfully trying to recapture the magic of back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017. Murray’s acquisition on Monday proved rightfully unpopular with Leafs fans grown tired of general manager Kyle Dubas’s bizarre attachment to alumni of his hometown Soo Greyhounds.
The Leafs were well aware of his penchant for mailing in a stinker. Samsonov was chased from both his starts against Toronto this past season, once giving up three goals in 10 shots, another time allowing four on 19. Of the 31 NHL goaltenders who played at least 40 games last season, Samsonov’s .896 save percentage ranked 30th.
The Leafs seemed content to watch Campbell leave the building after he put up an all-star season and a playoff performance that certainly wasn’t the reason for another first-round exit. On Wednesday it was announced that Campbell signed a five-year deal worth an annual average value of $5 million in Edmonton, a term Dubas insisted was too long for Toronto’s liking. Murray is on a two-year deal. And fair enough.
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