Why Maple Leafs Goaltender Ilya Samsonov Left Practice Early and Still No Clarity on Defenseman John Klingberg
An illness prevented Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov from dressing on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. It turns out the Russian is still battling with it.
Samsonov and defenseman William Lagesson both missed Sunday's practice session as a result of illness. After a day off on Monday, there was hope that Samsonov would recover enough to participate in the team's practice on Tuesday. The club sent down Martin Jones from his emergency recall before the session began. But a few minutes into the skate, Samsonov took a few shots before heading to the middle of the ice to talk to goaltending coach Curtis Sanford. Then he went to talk to training staff before collecting his sticks and made his way back into the Leafs' locker room.
"Sammy was feeling better today to get on the ice but this illness has beat him up pretty good so he wasn’t going to work through the whole day," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained. "The hope is that we can just build him up a day at a time here."
Samsonov hasn't played in a game since Nov. 24 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Keefe indicated this past week that it was his preference to go with one goaltender when the club was alternating between games and off days while at home, paving the way for Joseph Woll to effectively occupy the team's starting netminder role.
Keefe says the hope is that Samsonov will at least be recovered enough to dress on Thursday when the club visits the Ottawa Senators. But they'll have to see if he can get through their Wednesday practice session.
"I guess my concern at this point would be less that he hasn’t played and more so that he hasn’t been on the ice," Keefe said of Samsonov. "We’ve got to be smart with that we build him back to the point that he’s ready to play in a game."
Woll is 2-1-1 since Samsonov's last start. In that span, he's posted a .927 save percentage.
Samsonov has struggled by his standards in the net. He is 4-1-3 in 10 appearances this season with an .878 save percentage.
Timothy Liljegren skated with the rest of the defense before practice but left the ice before the main session began. He continues to make progress but there is no timeline for the defenseman's return. Liljegren suffered a high-ankle sprain on Nov. 2 when he was tripped along the corner boards by Bruins forward Brad Marchand.
Keefe had no update on defenseman John Klingberg. Out since Nov. 11 with a hip injury, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving stated on Nov. 27 that he was "hopeful" that they'd have an update by the end of the week. The week has long passed now meaning the Leafs don't have clarity yet on the defenseman's immediate future.
Signed to a one-year, $4.15 million contract this summer, Klingberg has five assists in 14 games. Having dealt with hip issues in the past, should he elect to go through with surgery, that would effectively end his season, and possibly his tenure with the Maple Leafs.
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