LAS VEGAS — Next season just became important for the Golden Knights’ goaltending department.

Not just for 2025, but beyond.

The Knights shook up their netminder situation in the span of 48 hours, starting with the trade of Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

They followed that by signing former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, $1.8 million deal on Monday.

Samsonov, 27, is coming off the worst season of his career. The Russian posted career-worsts in save percentage (.890) and goals against (3.13) despite going 23-7-8 in 40 starts.

Part of that is attributed to Toronto’s defensive structure. The Maple Leafs went from fifth in goals allowed in 2023 to 21st last season. Samsonov, in turn, fell far from the best season of his career two years ago (2.33 GAA, .919 save percentage).

It reached the point that Samsonov was placed on waivers Dec. 31, two days after giving up six goals to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He rebounded to go 18-5-2 in his final 25 starts, lowering the goals against to 2.70 with a .904 save percentage.

Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said goaltending coach Sean Burke and manager of goaltending development Mike Rosati felt there were plenty of positives in Samsonov’s game to take a flier on him.

It was a similar mindset and conversation, McCrimmon said, to when the Knights acquired Adin Hill in August 2022 from the San Jose Sharks.

That worked out well, with Hill leading the Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023. They hope it’s the same with Samsonov.

...continued

©2024 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.