Sheldon Keefe's Clear Choice Emerges as Leafs Top Goalie for the Playoffs

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Tom Banks
March 23, 2024 (5:22 PM)

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The Maple Leafs have been looking for one of their top goaltenders to step up and be their No. 1, and now, Ilya Samsonov may be taking that role.

With three goaltenders all getting significant playing time in 2023-24 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it presents plenty of positives, but also major question marks in their quest for a Stanley Cup. Ilya Samsonov has been emerging as the Maple Leafs starting goaltender for the past few weeks, and despite his struggles, he may ready as the teams No. 1 ahead of the playoffs over Joseph Woll and Martin Jones.

Now, ahead of the team's biggest matchup of the past few weeks against the Edmonton Oilers, he once again remains the teams starter, likely revealing who they trust most with the Stanley Cup Playoffs right around the corner.

Ilya Samsonov is not on the ice for optional but was before it began. Suggests he is the projected starter against the Oilers tonight.

This doesn't confirm anything for the playoffs, but in recent times, Samsonov has drawn in for all the big games, and has played more games than either Woll or Jones, so it appears this is the way Toronto are going. While they've got many injuries to hopefully heal over the next few weeks, Samsonov has been firing, taking his season mark to a 3.12 GAA and an .888 save percentage, and while that's not perfect, he appears to be the man for the job tonight and moving forward.

If Toronto can find consistent goaltending, they'll be a handful in the playoffs, and with Matt Murray potentially on the way back, there will be many questions to answer before the post-season, but for now it appears this is the direction they are headed.

Source: Barring an injury, the Leafs appear to have selected their playoff starter