The Vegas Golden Knights parted ways with Ilya Samsonov after just one season, but now the former Vegas goaltender has a new opportunity to re-establish himself in the NHL. The San Jose Sharks revealed on Friday that they signed Samsonov to a one-year, two-way deal, marking his return to North American hockey following a season spent playing in Russia in 2025-26.
Samsonov’s latest NHL campaign with Vegas in 2024-25 saw him playing a key role, starting 29 games with a record of 16-9-4, a 2.82 goals-against average, and an .891 save percentage. While his win-loss record was respectable, his save percentage was below expectations, continuing a pattern of inconsistent performance over recent seasons, as he’s posted below .900 save percentages in three of the last four NHL seasons. As a result, his return to the league is somewhat of a project for San Jose, especially considering he spent last season in the KHL with HK Sochi, where he appeared in only 14 games with a 3.27 GAA and a .903 save percentage, along with one shutout—numbers that reflect a decline from his prior NHL form.
Despite recent struggles, Samsonov’s career achievements highlight his potential; across 200 NHL games, he has accumulated a 118-48-25 record, with a 2.77 GAA, a .902 save percentage, and 15 shutouts. His standout season in Toronto during 2022-23 saw him earn 27 wins, a 2.33 GAA, and a .919 SV%, indicating his underlying talent and the possibility of a career resurgence. His journey has taken him from being a highly-touted prospect, drafted 22nd overall in 2015 by Washington, to winning the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2016, and bouncing between teams in North America and Russia.
Now, after a hiatus from North American play, Samsonov gets a chance to prove he can still be a reliable NHL presence. For the Sharks, this signing could be an opportunity to find a long-term starter, while for Samsonov, it’s a chance to demonstrate that his recent numbers are just a temporary setback rather than the end of his NHL story. His experience in high-pressure playoff games also adds a valuable veteran element to San Jose’s roster.
Fan Take: This move is intriguing because it could be a low-risk, high-reward situation for the Sharks; if Samsonov recovers his form, he could become a steal for the franchise. For hockey fans, it’s a compelling story of redemption and resilience—seeing a player with clear talent overcome recent setbacks to potentially re-emerge as a top-tier NHL goalie could add an exciting subplot to the upcoming season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
