Ilya Samsonov finds comfort in new number after rough start to his North American career
He’s been called the Washington “Capitals’ goalie of the future,” a future elite NHL netminder, the top goaltending prospect in all of hockey.
At the time of our interview, Ilya Samsonov was dead last in save percentage and in the bottom five for goals against average for all qualified goaltenders in the American Hockey League.
All he needed was a number change.
We sat in a triangle: Samsonov, a translator, and myself. The young Russian goaltender had a towel draped over his shoulder, minutes removed from practice on Giant Center’s ice.
While his English is improving, the 21-year-old rookie still needed a translator to communicate.
My first question to him was simple: What are your impressions of the American Hockey League so far? His response was just as simple. “I would say good league. Great speed. I’m looking at it as my bridge to NHL.”
During my conversation with Samsonov, the idea of the NHL being the next step for the young netminder was reoccurring, and the image of a young hockey player striving for his dream in the NHL became more apparent.
However, goaltenders need time to develop their skills into those of superstars. Tasked with the duty of reminding Samsonov to trust the process is Bears goaltender coach Alex Westlund.
“It’s a lot of constant reminders,” said Westlund. “Some of that is through results, and you realize how hard it is to succeed in this league as a goalie. For our situation here, we need both him and Vitek [Vanecek] to be good every night if we’re going to win and compete.”
As for all competitive goaltending situations in the AHL, any two netminders on a team are competing for the same thing: consistent playing time and the right to be the next call up for their NHL team. For Vanecek and Samsonov, the two have built a bond over their common goals.
At practices, the two goaltenders are regularly together, laughing and smiling throughout and between drills. Samsonov said Vanecek has been one of the key players on Hershey’s roster to help him during his transition to his new team, and that’s a situation that Westlund loves.
“That’s the way it has to be. Best case scenario is Vitek pushes Ilya to be better, and Ilya pushes Vitek to be better,” said Westlund
Samsonov has slowly been pushing back to Vanecek’s early season success, which earned Vanecek a spot in the AHL’s All-Star Game at the end of January.
In his last five starts, Samsonov has gone 5-1, with two straight shutouts, something that hasn’t been done by a Hershey goaltender since Pheonix Copley back in 2014.
Bears head coach Spencer Carbery echoed Westlund’s enthusiasm over the competitive nature of the team’s goaltending tandem. “Now Sammy’s saying ‘Hey, give me a shot to be the guy and let me show you what I’m capable of doing every night between the pipes.’ And that’s what you want.”
Samsonov is getting guidance from the entire Hershey team. Forward Nathan Walker has been instrumental in Samsonov’s transition to North America. During portions of Bears practices, Walker can be found hanging around the goalies. The three have built a small group that often hangs around each other before and after practices on the ice.
When I asked Samsonov who has helped him on the team the most this season, without missing a beat, he responded “Nathan Walker.”
While the language barrier can be tough at times, Walker tries his best to be a mentor to Sammy.
“I think the more help he can get, the more comfortable he can be just doing everyday things,” said Walker. “Getting groceries, going to eat, everything like that. I’m trying to help him as much as I can and make sure he’s comfortable in whatever situation.”
While many players are helping Samsonov learn a new language, American culture has been thrust on the Russian in the form of watching the Bears’ locker room television and a new sport: the NFL.
Samsonov has been watching some English speaking programming at home but is learning a lot of his English through watching American football.
He casually watches the NFL around the locker room but has not chosen a team to support yet. “I’m still trying to understand [the rules,]” he said with a chuckle.
That chuckle is opposite from his intense demeanor seen on the ice at times, especially early on in his season. Visibly frustrated when fishing pucks out of the back of his net, and giving intense staredowns to opposing players after goals. That intensity slowly faded as the rookie began to struggle.
More recently, the swagger he once had has returned. What could have changed Samsonov’s mindset was simple. A number change.
Hershey is a traditional franchise, reserving specific numbers for specific positions, with 1, 30, 31, and 35 on reserve for the goaltenders. Samsonov received number 1 to start the season, something he said he was “uncomfortable” with.
“I don’t like to play with number 1,” he said. He went to the Bears equipment staff and requested 51, something the team couldn’t accommodate at this point in the season with no goalie cut jerseys available to have the numbers placed on it. So he received 35 instead.
Since the change, he’s allowed only five goals in over 300 minutes of play.
Now the goaltender might be the second part of an excellent one-two punch that top goaltending tandems provide as Hershey eyes a playoff spot.
“We have to work harder on the ice to win the game,” said Samsonov. “And we have to overwork all the competitors. And then it is going to be a great team.”
Samsonov still has a long road ahead before the NHL comes calling for good, but a simple number change and a few wins have provided encouragement to a once uncomfortable goaltender.
