Three Toronto Maple Leafs players confirmed not to be returning next season
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to have a lot of turnover this summer as several players including Ilya Samsonov, TJ Brodie, and Mark Giordano are not expected to return to the team.
Perhaps the most notable of the three players not returning is goaltender Ilya Samsonov. After all, he was their starter going into the playoffs. After he struggled though, he was replaced in net in favor of the younger Joseph Woll, who helped rally the team to a game 7 appearance.
Unfortunately, Woll was injured in game six though and the team was forced to turn back to Samsonov and the rest is history. During his end-of-season media availability, Brad Treliving seemed to indicate that Samsonov would not be back.
It seems that Samsonov's improved play after returning to the team to start the new year was not redeem himself in the eyes of Treliving. This also begs the question of whether Treliving and Keefe were aligned on the decision to start Samsonov over Woll in the playoffs.
In any case, I get the impression Ilya Samsonov has played his last game as a Maple Leaf.
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The team will also be experiencing a lot of turnover on the blueline. John Klingberg likely will not be back and veteran blueliner TJ Brodie appears to have wrapped up his time with the Leafs as well.
According to Sportsnet writer Luke Fox, Treliving will not be making a contract offer to the 34-year-old. It is very well possible that Brodie has already played his last NHL game given how this season went.
"For the second time in four summers, Treliving will let TJ Brodie walk away from his roster in free agency"
Brodie is not the only Leafs blueliner facing retirement either. Mark Giordano has very likely played his last career NHL game. The 40-year-old was the league's oldest player last season and it showed as he got into just 46 regular-season games. He showed that he can still play, but at this point he is arguably more of a liability than anything else.
Lost amidst the Maple Leafs end of season drama?
Mark Giordano, and what could be the end of the road.
But the oldest active player in the NHL and his incredible career should not be forgotten.
It was a long and illustrious career for Giordano, but all things must pass. For the Leafs, his absence will mean one more position to fill this offseason.
Previously on HockeyPatrol
| POLL |
12 JUIN | 780 ANSWERS Three Toronto Maple Leafs players confirmed not to be returning next season Which player should the Toronto Maple Leafs give another chance? |
| Ilya Samsonov | 80 | 10.3 % |
| Mark Giordano | 110 | 14.1 % |
| TJ Brodie | 66 | 8.5 % |
| None of the above | 524 | 67.2 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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