Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Samsonov, Jarnkrok & Gaudette

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll take a look at three of the newcomers to the Maple Leafs’ roster. The initial play of Ilya Samsonov, Callie Jarnkrok, and Adam Gaudette had to have been impressive for even some of the most jaded Maple Leafs’ fans. Small sample size aside, it was a good showing for these three newcomers.

Item One: Ilya Samsonov Has Strong Start in First Preseason Game

Given the ire of Maple Leafs’ fans about the team’s goalie situation, it was hard for me to know what to expect. On paper, the bet that one of the new goalies on the roster – either Matt Murray or Ilya Samsonov – might have a solid season seemed logical. But I blinked. There had been so much derision tossed at Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas’ goalie choices that it was hard (at least for me) to expect much.

Ilya Samsonov, when he was with the Washington Capitals (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

What I saw was reassuring. Samsonov seemed solid in his first start in the Maple Leafs’ net. I know it was only our initial look at the youngster in goal, but on this small “n” of only two periods of play, he looked good. He seemed calm in the net and made some tough saves when he needed to.

In the end, Samsonov stopped every one of the 16 shots he faced in his two periods of game action. The team lost its second exhibition game to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, but that wasn’t on Samsonov at all.

Reviewing his time in the net, during the first period Samsonov didn’t have much action. His team continued to control the game in front of him as it had during the first game of the doubleheader. In the first game, after a first goal by the Senator’s newly-signed Tim Stutzle, the Maple Leafs simply carried the game the rest of the way.

However, during the second period, Samsonov was tested a few times. He passed and looked sharp doing so. He was solid his entire time in the net.

Item Two: Calle Jarnkrok Seems to Be a Sheldon Keefe Favorite

Yesterday, it was reported that Maple Leafs’ newcomer (but long-time NHL veteran) Calle Jarnkrok had “intrigued” coach Keefe with his skill level. Perhaps that’s why, rather than simply slot Jarnkrok into the vacated third-line spot Ilya Mikheyev handled last season, Keefe began training camp by skating Jarnkrok on the same line as Auston Matthews and Michael Bunting.