If they can get rid of Matt Murray and his horrible contract, they should have no problem signing the Russian goalie.
But something could come in the way of the contract negotiations between Samsonov and the Leafs.
Signing Samsonov was one of Dubas' best moves last summer.
The former Leafs GM and the goaltender reached a deal for one year at 1.8 million, just so the goalie could show what he had to offer. With a record of 27-10-5 and a .919 SV%, it's safe to say that he exceeded expectations.
Now, he's in a position to ask for a significant raise.
As we often see, the same issue comes up in the negotiations: the money.
It's always about the money, isn't it?
If Treliving can't move Murray and create cap space at the same time, he likely won't be able to give Sammy the money he wants.
The problem is that Samsonov has the leverage here, as he's eligible for arbitration, and the Leafs could be forced to pay him more.
This is a delicate situation, but Treliving's experience will certainly help him reach a deal with Ilya Samsonov.
If he can keep him and trade Murray, the Leafs' tandem of Woll and Samsonov would be one of the best in the league. And they'd cost less than Murray.
Do you think Ilya Samsonov will remain in Toronto?
As seen on Maple Leafs Daily -
One specific detail may hamper Ilya Samsonov negotiations for the Leafs
POLL | ||
Do you think Samsonov will remain in Toronto? | ||
Yes | 1193 | 74.1 % |
No | 417 | 25.9 % |
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