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Here’s Ilya Samsonov Posing With A Bear Because Russia

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Photo: championat.com

We don’t know much about Caps 2015 first-round pick Ilya Samsonov, but now at least we know this: when he was a toddler, he took a picture with a bear. A real, live, probably hungry, almost certainly annoyed bear.

Championat.com’s Maria Rogovskaya published the photo as part of a story celebrating Russian children returning to school on September 1. She shared vintage photos of KHL players back when they were going into grade school. For Samsonov she chose a photo of him with this godless killing machine/cuddly-wuddly giant puppy dog.

“In school, Magnitogorsk goalie Ilya Samsonov learned not to be afraid of danger,” Rogovskaya says, as translated by Igor Kleyner. I guess that’s why Samsonov is a top prospect goalie with ice in his veins and I’m a blogger with a vitamin D deficiency.

The danger: it’s real.

RMNB is not associated with the Washington Capitals; Monumental Sports, the NHLPA, the NHL, or its properties. Not even a little bit.

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