Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Samsonov, Reaves, Kampf & Woll

Second, as was the case through most of the last part of the season, the team had too many defensive lapses and turnovers. In Saturday’s game, these haunted the Maple Leafs throughout. The Bruins capitalized on the Maple Leafs’ mistakes to generate scoring chances. They capitalized on these chances and pulled away on the scoreboard.

Third, the Bruins’ goalie was better than the Maple Leafs goalie. Swayman outplayed Ilya Samsonov all night. While Swayman made crucial saves, Samsonov struggled to keep the game within reach. He allowed too many goals from far out.

Fourth, the Maple Leafs failed to capitalize on their scoring chances. Despite putting 36 shots on goal, the Maple Leafs never looked close to converting their high-quality scoring opportunities. Toronto could not finish.

Item 2: Ilya Samsonov’s Struggles

As noted, Samsonov struggled against the Bruins. He gave up four goals on 23 shots during the game, which turned out to be three too many. This defeat was his third straight loss, and he’s given up 15 goals in that span. These poor showings contrast sharply with his earlier success when Samsonov won five straight games. 

Despite an impressive 23-7-8 record this season, Samsonov’s statistics indicate there should be concerns in his play. His goals-against-average (GAA) stands at 3.13, while his save percentage sits at .890. These are not good enough numbers for a goalie expected to help his team succeed during the postseason.

Item 3: Maple Leafs’ Fourth Line Contributes 

Although a mistake by the Maple Leafs’ fourth line started the slide by giving up an odd-man break that resulted in the Bruins’ first goal, the team’s fourth line also scored the team’s only goal. 

Ryan Reaves recorded an assist, two shots on goal, and two hits during Saturday’s game. This performance comes after Reaves scored a goal in the regular-season finale, marking points in back-to-back contests for the first time since March 2023. The 37-year-old winger showed a physical presence and will likely continue to be a part of the fourth line over the next game. 

Connor Dewar assisted on David Kampf’s goal, the Maple Leafs’ lone score of the game. With four assists over his last four games, Dewar also displays physicality in his fourth-line role with his new team. He joined from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline.

The only good news of the game came when Kampf scored the only goal for the Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, his goal was too little and too late. Coming in the third period, it wasn’t enough to shift the game’s momentum. Expect Kampf to continue to anchor the fourth line.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

Goalie Samsonov’s struggles not only last night but toward the end of the season have undoubtedly begun discussions within the Maple Leafs organization about a change in the goalie rotation. I can’t imagine that Samsonov’s subpar Game 1 has not caused head coach Sheldon Keefe to consider a switch in net to Joseph Woll as the likely alternative.

That said, last season, the Maple Leafs were blown out in their first game by the Tampa Bay Lightning but came back to win the second and then the series. So, Keefe might want to see if history can repeat itself. Still, the potential move to Woll could bring fresh energy and inject something the team needs.