Maple Leafs' Ilya Samsonov Awarded One-Year Deal in Arbitration

After going through with their arbitration hearing on Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ilya Samsonov finally have a ruling. The NHL's independent arbitrator officially awarding Samsonov a one-year deal worth $3.55 million, a source confirmed to The Hockey News.

The deal locks Samsonov into the Maple Leafs' roster for the 2023-24 season and sets him up nicely to earn a sizeable payday on the open market upon expiry. 

Considering how far apart both sides were in their arbitration filings – Samsonov filed at $4.9 million while the Maple Leafs filed at $2.4 million – this ruling stands as a nice compromise. Samsonov flourished with the Leafs last season after the Washington Capitals cut him loose, finishing the year with a 27-10-5 record with four shutouts and a .919 save percentage to steal the starting job away from Matt Murray. 

The only hiccup in Samsonov's otherwise promising season is his health, as the 26-year-old dealt with injuries on multiple occasions throughout the year and ultimately ended the playoffs on the shelf. 

If Samsonov can stay healthy, though, the Maple Leafs will have a very solid netminder under contract at a reasonable price heading into a make-or-break year for the organization. 

The contract will put the Maple Leafs more than $11.5 million over the salary cap for this upcoming season. Since Samsonov filed for arbitration, the Leafs will get an additional 48-hour buyout window expected to begin in three days. Players who were on the team at the trade deadline on March 3 with a cap hit greater than $4 million are eligible to be bought out in this window.