Last night, the New York Islanders fell behind in their first round series three games to nothing. The Carolina Hurricanes won 3-2 in a close contest. It was the first game of the playoffs for goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who’s night finished early. He was pulled after letting in three goals on just thirteen shots. Was…
During Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltender Ilya Samsonov went down with an odd injury. While stretching from one post to another, awkwardly tweaked something and didn’t get up. He laid face down on the ice for some time and Martin Jones had to eventually come in as a replacement. It…
Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin. Known as the ‘Russian Bear,’ this is not the first time he’s popped into the team’s lineup. The last time was near the trade deadline when he came to the team from the Arizona Coyotes. He almost immediately was partnered with Morgan Rielly. And,…
The Anaheim Ducks are trading defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, “Official trade call hasn’t happened yet but the deal will see Ilya Lyubushkin (50 percent retained by Anaheim) going to Carolina (which retains another 25 percent) then Lyubushkin to Toronto.” He added, “Ducks get a…
In mid-December of 2023, goalie Ilya Samsonov found himself in a significant slump. The downward spiral was so overwhelmingly bad that it sparked concerns about his future as a quality goaltender for his Toronto Maple Leafs. Following a disappointing 6-5 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 29, Samsonov’s performance came under intense scrutiny….
In what some fans might see as a surprising decision, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has announced that goaltender Ilya Samsonov will be between the pipes tonight against the Red Wings Sunday night. Despite recent challenges for the netminder, he’s getting another chance and far earlier than many in Leafs Nation would have…
Amidst goalie uncertainties, rookie Dennis Hildeby is set to start tonight’s game for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second of a back-to-back situation. It will be his first-ever NHL game. Meanwhile, Martin Jones picked up a win versus the Kings on Tuesday and the organization is trying to figure out what to do with…
Goaltender Ilya Samsonov has cleared waivers and is set to join the Toronto Marlies. The Toronto Maple Leafs made the announcement on Monday in hopes of starting off the new year with a feasible plan. The organization is taking a strategic approach to rebuild Samsonov’s confidence and game. Some wonder if the hope is that…
The goaltending woes in Toronto have reached a critical point. Things are so bad, head coach Sheldon Keefe to publicly acknowledge the challenges with netminder Ilya Samsonov. Keefe’s recent statements suggest a lack of confidence in Samsonov’s current form, acknowledging the need for the organization to address the situation. This is nothing short of a…
The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a goaltending crisis as Ilya Samsonov, pulled just minutes into the second period of Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, delivered a subpar performance again. Allowing five goals on 19 shots, this ugly outing came on the heels of disappointing showing against Columbus, where he allowed six goals…
