Ilya Samsonov

Capitals players say they will ‘miss Sammy and Vitek’ as the two young goaltenders move on with other teams

The National Hockey League can be a harsh business. Playing a kid’s game as an adult can net a king’s ransom, but it also means being treated like a commodity and having to leave your friendships at the door.

Capitals players are experiencing the latter as they transition into a new year. Over the offseason, general manager Brian MacLellan hit the eject button and jettisoned the young goalie battery of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek after two full seasons together. Samsonov signed with the Leafs after not being tendered a qualifying offer by Mac while Vanecek was dealt to division rival New Jersey. Both players grew up in the Capitals’ developmental system and were a duo with the AHL’s Hershey Bears as well.

The Capitals retooled their netminding by signing the top free agent goaltender on the free-agent market, 2022 Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper, and inking backup Charlie Lindgren to a three-year deal. While there’s excitement on what those two tendies can bring, several Caps players were noticeably tore up about Sammy and Vitek being gone at the start of Training Camp.

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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Ilya Samsonov says goodbye to Capitals organization and fans: ‘These past 3 years in DC have been unforgettable’

The Washington Capitals made a huge change to their roster this offseason when they decided to wipe the slate clean in terms of their goaltending. Vitek Vanecek was traded to the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Samsonov was not tendered a qualifying offer making him an unrestricted free agent.

Samsonov, now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, penned a goodbye note on Saturday to the organization that drafted him and its fans.

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By Chris Cerullo 2 months ago

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Ilya Samsonov signs one-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs

Peter Laviolette said the Capitals weren’t going to bring back Ilya Samsonov after not tendering him a qualifying offer earlier in the week. Indeed he was right.

Samsonov is now a Toronto Maple Leaf after signing a one-year, $1.8 million contract with the team. He made $2 million last season. Sammy will be the Leafs’ backup goaltender next season.

The Athletic’s Arthur Staple was the first to report the news. The Athletic’s Frank Seravalli reported the contract numbers first.

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By Ian Oland 2 months ago

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Peter Laviolette indicates Ilya Samsonov will not be coming back: ‘We’re moving in a different direction’

The Washington Capitals will not be bringing back Ilya Samsonov. Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette revealed the news while doing an interview with NBC Sports Washington at Development Camp.

“I thought they did a good job for us,” Laviolette said to NBCSWSH of the team’s two young goaltenders. “Vitek is moving on to New Jersey. Both of these guys battled for us.”

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By Ian Oland 2 months ago

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Ilya Samsonov, Vitek Vanecek, and asset management

The Washington Capitals have finally slayed their two-headed goalie monster by metaphorically lopping off both their heads. (Okay, that’s gross, I’ll definitely delete that before I publish this.)

On Monday afternoon the team announced that they had not offered a qualifying offer to Ilya Samsonov. The team may still negotiate with Samsonov over the next two days (if they want), but if not, come Wednesday — poof! — the Russian netminder can sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent. After dealing Vitek Vanecek on the second day of the Draft, the Capitals quickly went from having two goalies in the organization to none.

Because of how it all went down, the team got hardly anything in return, and that’s where I want to focus for a moment, especially if the Caps are unable to sign Samsonov to a more team-friendly deal before noon on Wednesday.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals choose not to extend qualifying offer to Ilya Samsonov

In an unexpected move, the Washington Capitals chose not to tender a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Ilya Samsonov before Monday’s 5 PM deadline.

The move would have allowed the Capitals to keep the rights of the talented Russian goaltender who was their first-round pick in 2015. Now, if the two sides don’t hammer out a deal before Wednesday at noon, Samsonov will become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any other team. The Capitals would get no compensation in return.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals plan to give qualifying offers to Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek, but still want to acquire a veteran goaltender

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said on Breakdown Day in May that the first offseason decision he wanted to make was in regard to the team’s goaltending situation. Both Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek are restricted free agents and will need qualifying offers from the team by July 11.

MacLellan stated on Wednesday that the two young netminders will get those offers but that the Caps still plan to explore both the trade and free agency market for a veteran alternative.

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By Chris Cerullo 3 months ago

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Report: Capitals tried to extend Conor Sheary earlier in the offseason

The Washington Capitals are entering an important time period that could reshape the franchise during the final years of the Alex Ovechkin Era in DC. The NHL Draft, where the team could make a trade, is on July 7 and 8, and free agency opens on July 13.

The Capitals, who have not won a playoff series since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2018, will have approximately $25 million to play with after second-line center Nicklas Backstrom had a second hip surgery last month that few athletes have returned from.

Now, Elliotte Friedman is reporting one of the Capitals’ first major moves of the offseason.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan tried to re-up 30-year-old, third-line winger, Conor Sheary, who will be an unrestricted free agent next year.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Ilya Samsonov: 2021-22 season review

Ilya Samsonov is still a goalie for the Washington Capitals.

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By Peter Hassett 3 months ago

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Brian MacLellan says Capitals’ first offseason decision will be its goaltending

Brian MacLellan rolled the dice last summer. Without many great veteran options in goal, the Capitals general manager decided to bring back his young goaltending tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek for another season. The decision ultimately did not work out.

Both goalies started the same amount of games in the regular season (39) and neither separated themselves as the full-time starter. Vanecek got the opportunity to start Game One in the playoffs against the Florida Panthers, but ultimately yielded the net to Samsonov in Game Two after a poor performance. Sammy was mostly sensational in the postseason but sported career lows in save percentage (.896) and GAA (3.29) during the regular season. Both players showed promise. They also showed maddening inconsistency.

While MacLellan admitted there was a chance the team could turn to both goalies again next year for the third consecutive season, he made clear that the team would address all options in how to improve the position.

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By Ian Oland 4 months ago

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