Maple Leafs in Pursuit of Goaltender Solution Amidst Recent Struggles

PUBLICATION

Hunter Bowman
December 24, 2023 (11:12 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The injury to Joseph Woll has left the Maple Leafs grappling with goaltending challenges, and Elliotte Friedman shed light on their explorations in a recent Sportsnet segment:

"I do believe that Toronto has dipped its toes into the goaltending market. I don't expect anything to happen right when the [holiday] freeze ends. I think their hope is that Samsonov just gets a few days away and they continue to work with him," Friedman reported.

"Of course, they don't have Joseph Woll right now; he's injured, and I don't think they believe bringing their American Hockey League goaltender Dennis Hildeby up is the proper thing to do right now even though he's really talented and looks really good.

"The other thing I'm hearing out there is that the teams that have the goaltending surplus, they know it. And what they're asking for is a lot, especially if retention is involved, and I just think all these teams out here that are looking for goaltenders just find that they're being extorted a little bit."

Trading Samsonov at $3.55 million won't be a straightforward task, given his underwhelming performance this season. The goaltending market lacks viable options, making it challenging for teams in need.

With a 5-2-5 record, a 3.79 GAA, and a 0.871 SV%, Samsonov's struggles raise concerns for any team relying on him for the playoffs. The Leafs might face challenges in securing a favorable deal for Samsonov, potentially requiring additional incentives like picks or prospects in the trade.

Source: Hockeypatrol