Ilya Samsonov To Have MRI And Other Tests
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a massive hole as they trail the Florida Panthers 3-0 in their best of seven Eastern Conference semi-final series. Now they may have to deal with an elimination game without goaltender Ilya Samsonov. David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that Samsonov is feeling better today but will be going for an MRI and additional testing to gain a better understanding on what is happening with the 26-year-old. His status for game four is unknown currently.
Samsonov left game three early after he was run over by teammate Luke Schenn on an odd man rush. The former first round pick lay on the ice after the incident and was checked by Maple Leafs training staff. He was eventually ruled out of the game and did not return. Joseph Woll came in to relieve Samsonov and made 18 saves before allowing the overtime winning goal to Sam Reinhart.
Samsonov has been terrific this season for Toronto having posted a .919 save percentage to go along with a 27-10-5 record. Should he miss game four the Maple Leafs would likely go back to rookie Woll who filled in admirably for Samsonov. Woll has been great for Toronto in limited action this year having posted a 6-1 record with a .932 save percentage and 2.16 goals against average.
One thing to potentially keep an eye on could be current third string goaltender Matt Murray. The Thunder Bay native was cleared to return prior to the series and has been practicing with the club. Murray hasn’t played since he suffered a concussion in early April and while it is unlikely he would be thrown into the net to start an elimination game, he would become the backup should Samsonov miss any time.
Matt Murray To Be Toronto Maple Leafs Third Goalie
David Alter of Sports Illustrated is reporting that Matt Murray is set to take the role as the Toronto Maple Leafs third goalie as they get set to begin their second round series against the Florida Panthers. The Thunder Bay native joined his Leafs teammates at practice today for the first time since he suffered a concussion on April 2 during a 5-2 Toronto loss against Detroit.
The 28-year-old will fall behind Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll on the Maple Leafs goaltending depth chart and will likely travel with the club when they head to Florida for games three and four. Murray has an exemplary track record in the playoffs having backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups as a rookie in 2016 and 2017.
A lot has changed since those two championships as Murray has been relegated to an afterthought since being traded by the Penguins to the Ottawa Senators in 2020. Murray never found his footing in Ottawa as he battled inconsistency and injuries and was eventually traded last summer to Toronto in a salary dump.
Murray had an uneven first season in Toronto posting a 14-8-2 record with a 3.01 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. While he hasn’t posted elite numbers in years, he does offer Toronto a strong backup option should Samsonov stumble.
Playoff Notes: Pavelski, Murray, Johnson
As the Dallas Stars try to close out their First Round series on the road, they could see an important veteran return to the lineup. Head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters today that Joe Pavelski will travel to Minnesota for Game 6 and will likely be a game-time decision.
Pavelski hasn’t played in Games 2 through 5, sidelined due to concussion protocols after a heavy hit from Wild defender Matt Dumba in Game 1. Dallas has maintained pace without Pavelski’s services, thanks to Tyler Seguin‘s point-per-game performance in his absence, but they’ll need all the help they can get to stave off a hungry and physical Wild team looking to extend their season at home. A model of consistency, Pavelski’s chemistry with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson has been Dallas’ highlighting factor the past few seasons.
More from around the league’s complement of playoff teams this morning:
- Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Matt Murray had seemingly returned to practice this morning for the first time in nearly a month, but skated with a separate pad of players, says The Hockey News’ David Alter. Murray, sidelined with a concussion since April 2, is unlikely to get any playing time once he is healthy but serves as a more veteran backup option to Ilya Samsonov. Joseph Woll has stayed on the Leafs’ bench in Murray’s absence, making his playoff debut in relief in Game 1’s loss against the Lightning. Murray’s availability for a potential series-clinching Game 5 on Thursday is uncertain.
- Veteran Colorado Avalanche defender Jack Johnson hasn’t played in his team’s First Round series against the Seattle Kraken due to a lower-body injury, but NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika reports he could draw in for the suspended Cale Makar in Game 5. Johnson, who recorded four points and a +10 rating in 25 games after being re-acquired at the trade deadline from Chicago, would slot into a bottom-pairing role. If he’s unable to play, 34-year-old Brad Hunt could make his first postseason appearance since playing in four games with the Wild during the 2020 bubble.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Erik Kallgren
As the playoffs begin, every team in the league has added a third goaltender to serve as an emergency backup. In Toronto, things are no different, as Erik Kallgren has been brought up from the minor leagues. This recall though, sheds some light on another situation.
Kallgren’s addition means that Matt Murray, who missed the end of the season with a head injury, cannot yet play for the team. Joseph Woll will move into the backup role behind Ilya Samsonov, with no clear timeline on the injured netminder’s return.
This wasn’t the plan when the Maple Leafs acquired Murray, but it is a scenario that shouldn’t surprise anyone. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender has been unable to stay healthy for the last few years. That was part of why the Ottawa Senators were willing to eat some of his contract to send him down the road to Toronto.
Murray played in just 26 games this season with the Maple Leafs, posting a .903 save percentage and 3.01 goals-against average. With another year left on his contract, it’s unclear how Toronto will sort out the goaltending for 2023-24. Samsonov is a pending RFA with a great arbitration case, and Woll has shown he is ready for the NHL.
For now, the club is focused on the Tampa Bay Lightning and the first-round series that starts tonight. Samsonov and Woll is the tandem they’ll go with, as they try to finally get over the disappointments of the past.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Stone, Bear, Murray
It was a short week in the NHL, as the regular season came to a close, but there were still some fantastic performances around the league. The NHL announced its Three Stars for the week and Jason Robertson was atop the list as the league’s First Star of the final week of the regular season. The Dallas Stars winger played three games, scoring one goal and five assists for six points. This helped the 23 year old finish the season with 46 goals and 109 points.
In second and third place last week were Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Laurent Brossoit. Burns scored goals in all three of the Hurricanes games last week as they held off the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. He added a second goal against the Florida Panthers to give him four goals in three contests last week. Brossoit suited up for two games between the pipes for the Golden Knights and allowed just one goal in each game, winning them both while stopping 50 of the 52 shots he faced during the week.
- Per a team release, Vegas Golden Knights Head Coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned Mark Stone has been cleared for contact. This is a step in the right direction for the star two-way winger as he tries to return from an injury that has kept him out of the lineup since January 12. Stone has been dealing with back issues for three months, but his status was changed to day-to-day today as he is now able to join his teammates for practice as a full participant. The Golden Knights begin their first round series with the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
- Ethan Bear of the Vancouver Canucks was on Canucks Central radio show with Dan Riccio and Satiar Shah and spoke confidently about returning to the Canucks next season. Bear was acquired early in the season from the Carolina Hurricanes and will be a restricted free agent this offseason. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he is not given a qualifying offer of one year at $2.2MM but it sounds like Bear will be signing an extension without much drama involved. He openly stated he will be back and anyone worrying about the situation can relax. After being cast aside by the Hurricanes essentially as a cap dump, Bear played well for the Canucks and has deserved an extension to stay.
- Chris Johnston of TSN reports Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray has begun skating in recent days. Murray is recovering from a concussion suffered in an accidental collision on April 2. Murray has battled injuries most of the season, only suiting up for 26 games for the Maple Leafs. Even if he is healthy in time for Game 1 of the first round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Murray will likely serve as the backup to Ilya Samsonov who has been more consistent and reliable for the Leafs this season.
Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Edvinsson, Hathaway
The Maple Leafs will be without winger Calle Jarnkrok tonight as he is listed as day-to-day with a minor injury, relays Sports Illustrated’s David Alter (Twitter link). The 31-year-old has done well in his first season in Toronto, notching career highs in goals (19) and points (37). It’s unknown if he’ll get a chance to add to those numbers before the playoffs begin. Wayne Simmonds will take his place in the lineup after being recalled last night.
Meanwhile, while the plan is for Matt Murray to serve as the backup tonight, Alter relays that head coach Sheldon Keefe is unsure if he’ll be able to do so. Murray didn’t participate in the morning skate and with the Maple Leafs lacking the cap space for another recall, they might have to dress an emergency backup if Murray is unable to suit up.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed to reporters including Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen that defenseman Simon Edvinsson will only play in two of Detroit’s final four games this season. That will cap him at nine games, meaning that he will not burn the first year of his entry-level deal which will still have three years remaining on it next season. Edvinsson’s first taste of NHL action has gone relatively well as the 20-year-old has two goals in his first seven appearances while averaging a little under 17 minutes per game.
- While Bruins winger Garnet Hathaway is fitting in well with his new team, he told Boston Hockey Now’s Joe Haggerty that he hasn’t given any thought yet about potentially extending with Boston beyond this season. The 31-year-old has five points and 62 hits in 21 games since being acquired from Washington in February and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. For now, Hathaway is focusing on “short-term thinking” with Boston set to enter the playoffs as the top seed.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Wayne Simmonds, Reassign Joseph Woll
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced a couple of roster moves this evening, according to David Alter of SI.com. The team has called up veteran winger Wayne Simmonds, a day after sending him down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. The team has also sent down goaltender Joseph Woll following his recall just three days ago.
Simmonds is a 34-year-old forward who has technically split this season between the Maple Leafs and Marlies, though he has never suited up for the Marlies this season. He has often been the odd forward out of the lineup and even sent down to make roster room throughout the season, or salary cap space when Ryan O’Reilly was activated yesterday. However, though he has spent time on the AHL roster, he has not actually played in the minors this season. Simmonds has played 17 games with the Maple Leafs, scoring two points while adding a veteran, gritty presence to the lineup.
Woll being sent down is more interesting. He was called up earlier this week when Matt Murray was injured and though Murray’s status was not updated, it was feared he would be out of the lineup long term. If Murray is out long term, the team would need a second goaltender on the roster, which is where Woll stepped in. However, with Woll being returned to the Marlies, it could pave the way for Murray’s return to the lineup. Woll has now played five games with the Maple Leafs this season, winning four of them and posting a 2.02 GAA and a .932 SV% in those contests.
Maple Leafs Notes: Murray, Acciari, Cruikshank, Skirving
In a recent article written by Luke Fox of Sportsnet, the Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have some more bad news with goaltender Matt Murray. After getting what appeared to be accidentally knocked down by Detroit Red Wings’ forward Lucas Raymond on Sunday night, head coach Sheldon Keefe relays on that Murray is now dealing with a head injury.
Murray has been injured several times this year, being placed on long-term injured reserve on both October 18th and February 15th of this season. When he is healthy, Murray has been an average goaltender at best for Toronto. In 26 starts this season, the goaltender has a record of 14-8-2 with a SV% of .903 and a GAA of 3.01. In some of the underlying numbers, Murray currently has a GA%- of 101, with a Goals Saved Above Average of -1.0.
Throughout his time with the Ottawa Senators, and even multiple times when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Murray has been a very injury-prone player throughout his career. Keefe mentioned that Murray would be considered day-to-day for now, and did not specify a timeline or if Murray would enter concussion protocol.
Fortunately for the Maple Leafs, their other goaltender acquisition from this past summer is enjoying the best season of his career. In 37 stars, Ilya Samsonov has a record of 25-10-4 with a .915 SV% and a 2.41 GAA. Even before the recent injury to Murray, Samsonov was going to be the clear-cut starter for Toronto in their first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, the hockey world did see last year that having a capable backup going into the playoffs is vitally important, evidenced by the superb play of backup Pavel Francouz for the Colorado Avalanche.
Other Maple Leafs notes:
- In some positive injury news for the Maple Leafs, Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun reports that forward Noel Acciari will be back in the lineup tonight as Toronto takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Acquired in the trade with the St.Louis Blues that also netted Toronto forward Ryan O’Reilly, Acciari has spent most of his time in the Maple Leafs’ bottom six. In 17 games with Toronto, Acciari has added a valuable bit of depth goal-scoring, lighting the lamp three times for Toronto.
- Traveling southwest of the Maple Leafs, their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies announced two signings today, picking up forward Grant Cruikshank from St.Cloud State University, as well as signing forward Todd Skirving from the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL. In 41 games for St.Cloud State, Cruikshank scored a solid 23 goals and 15 assists, being one of the better goal-scorers in the NCAA. Similarly, Skirving has also been a solid scorer in the ECHL this season, scoring 30 goals and 27 assists in 66 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Joseph Woll
With Matt Murray‘s latest injury, the decision on who will start for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs was effectively made. Ilya Samsonov is now the team’s undisputed starter, though someone will need to help get the team through the last few games of the season.
That someone is Joseph Woll, recalled again today under emergency conditions. Radim Zohorna has been returned to the AHL, while Bobby McMann was moved to long-term injured reserve.
Woll, 24, has had an outstanding season. In 21 appearances at the minor league level he is 16-4-1 with a .927 save percentage. In four games with the Maple Leafs, he is 3-1 with a .934. The 2016 third-round pick is finally rounding into form after several injury-laden professional seasons, and is now pushing for a full-time position with Toronto.
Murray left Sunday’s game after an awkward collision with Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond, appearing to hit his head on the ice. The team has not revealed any timeline for the veteran netminder, but it is just another disappointing outcome in a turbulent season.
In 26 appearances, spread out by several injuries, Murray has posted a .903 save percentage. Samsonov, meanwhile, is now 25-10-4 on the year with a .915, and looks poised to meet Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one, should nothing else change for the Maple Leafs over the last part of the season.
AHL Shuffle: 03/06/23
The following players were either recalled or sent down between their NHL clubs and their respective AHL affiliates.
- Goalie Matt Murray was an emergency recall by the Dallas Stars from the Texas Stars, according to CapFriendly Murray was signed as an undrafted free agent last summer, and has appeared in one game for Dallas this season, his first NHL action.
- Forward Fredrik Olofsson was also an emergency recall by the Dallas Stars, according to CapFriendly. Oloffson was a fourth-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014, and has recorded one goal and three assists in 20 games this season, his first in the NHL.
- The Colorado Avalanche have sent veteran goaltender Keith Kinkaid to the Colorado Eagles, according to CapFriendly. Kinkaid, 33, has appeared in two games this season, one each for the Boston Bruins and Avalanche. He has been shuffled between the NHL and AHL since arriving in Colorado.
- Per TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, the Montreal Canadiens have reassigned defenseman Frederic Allard to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Montreal acquired Allard in a minor trade with the Los Angeles Kings on deadline day, and the 25-year-old played in just the second game of his NHL career yesterday against Vegas, as Montreal’s defense is depleted with injuries. Allard heads back to the minors, where he had seven points in 35 games with the Ontario Reign before the trade to the Canadiens organization.
- The Vancouver Canucks have recalled goalie Arturs Silovs from the Abbotsford Canucks under emergency conditions, per the team. He’ll start tonight’s game instead of Collin Delia, who’s unavailable with a non-COVID illness. Silovs has a .908 save percentage and a 2-2-0 record in four NHL appearances, all coming this season.
This post will be updated throughout the day.