NHL Free Agency: Ilya Samsonov New Contract Down to 3 Teams
The NHL's free-agent market is very thin of talent, but there's still some solid veteran help available, including goaltender Ilya Samsonov. The 28-year-old has surprisingly not signed a contract as of yet, with training camps just a couple of weeks away.
Samsonov posted a 16-9-4 record last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, including a 2.82 goals against average, and .891 save percentage. Throughout his career, which started as a first-round pick of the Washington Capitals, Samsonov also had a two-year stop with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now, awaits his next team, which he's hopeful, is in the NHL for next season.
Samsonov's appeared in 200 career NHL games, registering a 118-48-25 record, including 15 shutouts, a 2.77 GAA and a career .902 save percentage.
Which UFA goalie has the best chance to sign a deal (1-way/2-way/PTO)?
— Benchrates (@benchrates) August 22, 2025
Ilya Samsonov and James Reimer had better numbers recently. But Georgi Romanov and Alexandar Georgiev are younger than one of them and [probably] cheaper than the other#NHL #NHLFreeAgency #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/RGCcq0hhcT
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, keep an eye on the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Carolina Hurricanes, who all could use a veteran third stringer to push their tandems. There's been production, and injury concerns in all three markets over the past year, so ideally, each team adds another experienced netminder for training camp.
At this point, the Hurricanes and the Oilers appear to be the favorites, but that could all change once everyone shows up for training camp, and we see which team is dealing with early injury woes.
Samsonov deserves to be in the NHL. He's proven time and time again he's capable of winning hockey games, and to some, to see him unsigned at this point is a complete shock.
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
