Ilya Samsonov leads Adam Proteau’s list of three goaltenders on expiring contracts who could benefit from playing on another NHL team next season.
Ilya Samsonov
The NHL’s goaltending carousel continues to spin rapidly, so fans should be expecting plenty of movement on the netminding front this summer.
But which pending UFA goalies need a fresh start somewhere other than with the team they played for this season, whether it’s because of their place on the depth chart or their numbers? Let’s look and list three of them below:
Ilya Samsonov, Toronto Maple Leafs
Samsonov didn’t have a completely abysmal season with the Maple Leafs in 2023-24. But the 27-year-old did post the worst season of his NHL career statistically, putting up a 3.13 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage in 40 appearances.
The Russian veteran almost certainly won’t return to the Maple Leafs next season, but he should get an opportunity with an NHL team that thinks it can use him in a tandem.
Samsonov could thrive out of the harsh spotlight of playing for the Maple Leafs, but he does have to rehabilitate his image as a netminder who is injured easily and can look utterly clueless at his worst.
He may have to accept a one- or two-year contract at a relative bargain and prove his worth. He’s coming off a one-year, $3.55-million contract in 2023-24.
Chris Driedger
Chris Driedger, Seattle Kraken
The 30-year-old Driedger lost his NHL job in Seattle, appearing in only two games with the Kraken after missing most of last season with injury.
However, Driedger has performed well in the AHL, posting a .927 save percentage and 2.31 goals-against average in the playoffs for the Coachella Valley Firebirds as they chase the Calder Cup in the final.
Driedger’s $3.5-million cap hit will plummet next season, but he could excel with a new team. He did look good with the Florida Panthers before joining the Kraken in 2021, so an above-average team might wind up benefitting from acquiring him on a low-dollar, short-term contract this off-season. Don’t count him out for a bounce back.
Casey DeSmith
Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Casey DeSmith, Vancouver Canucks
DeSmith has spent just one season with Canucks as he finishes up a two-year contract worth $1.8 million per year. While the 32-year-old looked good in the post-season – putting up a 2.02 goals-against average. and .911 save percentage in two games – he got injured and leapfrogged in Vancouver’s goaltending depth chart by youngster Arturs Silovs.
DeSmith will be a UFA this summer, and he may have a tough time finding a playoff-contending team to play a meaningful role on. That said, his .909 save percentage and 2.82 goals-against average in 163 career regular-season NHL games across six seasons show he can provide decent-enough goaltending in a new market as a cheaply paid backup.
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