Leafs' Samsonov earns NHL trophy nod for bounce-back season
After clearing waivers earlier this season and eventually returning to the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov is now in the running for an NHL trophy.
As announced Friday, the Leafs netminder has been nominated for the 2024 Bill Masterton Trophy by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA).
The trophy, which was won by fellow NHL goalie Carey Price back in 2022, has been awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Previous Maple Leafs nominees include Mark Giordano, Morgan Rielly, Zach Hyman, and Jason Blake, who won the award back in 2008.
Samsonov’s roller coaster of a season has made him an obvious candidate for Toronto this year as the second half of the 27-year-old’s 2023-24 campaign has been something to behold.
Posting two shutouts and a 16-3-1 record since being recalled by the Leafs in January, the Russian netminder, who picked up his 100th NHL victory in a 6-4 win against the Florida Panthers on Monday, has been especially effective in March, logging a .936 SV% over 30 days.
In contrast, Samsonov had registered just a .862 save percentage before hitting waivers in late December, the lowest save percentage posted by a Toronto goalie in their first 15 games of a season since Allan Bester in 1989-90.
His newfound confidence and recent successes have also made him a serious candidate for starter come playoff time.
He also has a proven postseason track record, leading the Leafs to a Round 1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning — their first series win in 19 years — last spring.
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