Captain Jarrod Bowen scored twice as WestHam’s 3-2 win over Bolton took them top of the Championship on goal difference. The England international opened the scoring after 13 minutes and earned his side a first win at Bolton for 31 years with his second 13 minutes from time.
In between, Wanderers, beaten for a fourth successive outing, equalised through midfielder Ethan Erhahon’s maiden goal for the club and they looked on course for a ninth successive league victory over the Hammers when Ruben Rodrigues converted a 27th-minute penalty. Instead, Konstantinos Mavropanos levelled with a 31st-minute header and Bowen completed the comeback.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 5: Amber Nichols of the Capital City Go Go looks on before the G League Playoff game against the College Park Skyhawks on April 5, 2022 at Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have promoted Amber Nichols to vice president of basketball operations and player personal, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported Tuesday.
The Washington Wizards are promoting Amber Nichols to Vice President of Basketball Operations and Personnel, league sources told @hoopshype. Nichols was previously Washington’s Director of Amateur Evaluation. Prior, she was General Manager of the Capital City Go-Go G League team. pic.twitter.com/9ev4mqItSM
Nichols previously served as the Wizards’ director of amateur evaluation. Before that role, she served as general manager of the Capital City Go-Go — Washington’s G League affiliate.
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins praised Nichols’ role in the team’s draft evaluation process. The Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa and Felix Okpara in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Simply put, the San Jose Sharks have had a lot of goaltenders join their organization this summer.
At the NHL level, they signed veterans Eric Comrie, Kyle Keyser, and now Ilya Samsonov to contracts, even though they're likely to report to the San Jose Barracuda. The Barracuda then signed a player of their own, Connor Hasley, to an American Hockey League contract while Matt Davis is also under contract with the Barracuda. The Wichita Thunder currently don't have a goaltender on their roster, which seems to be the key to the puzzle.
It's all but confirmed that Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic will be the Sharks' goaltending tandem at the NHL level. As a result, the questions start with the Barracuda. With Comrie, Keyser, and Samsonov all on NHL contracts, it's unlikely that any of them are sent to the ECHL which means we'll likely see a three-goalie rotation in either the NHL or AHL, with the latter being the most logical.
Comrie and Samsonov would be the logical tandem to start the season, while Keyser can fill in when there's a need. If one of the Sharks' goaltenders suffers an injury, Comrie is expected to be the first recall and Samsonov would take over the starting job with Keyser as a backup, If there's an injury to one of the AHL netminders, Keyser simply fills in as needed.
With the Thunder have a goaltender-sized hole in their roster, Davis and Hasley will likely be the players tasked with holding down the fort in Wichita. If needed, Davis seems capable at the AHL level and could be recalled in the event of an injury-related disaster at the top two levels. Whenever the signing of Yaroslav Korostelyov becomes official, we'll probably see him assigned to the Thunder as well to round out their goaltending trio.
While the addition of Samsonov does seem like it's slightly overkill for goaltending depth, it appears to be the final piece to the organization's puzzle between the pipes.
The St. Louis Blues revealed their training camp roster early Tuesday morning.
The roster includes every Blues player projected to be in the opening-night lineup, AHL players signed to NHL contracts, and prospects playing in the CHL. Among those not on the training camp roster are NCAA prospects like Tynan Lawrence and prospects playing in Europe, like Love Harenstam, Dmitry Buchelnikov, and Milton Gastrin.
With that said, here are three intriguing storylines to follow during training camp and the shortened four-game pre-season.
How Does The Middle Six Shape Up?
With the top line expected to be Dylan Holloway, Robert Thomas, and Jimmy Snuggerud, that leaves six spots between the second and third lines. The competition for those spots isn't necessarily about who earns the role, but rather where.
The two centers are expected to be Mason McTavish and Dalibor Dvorsky. The wingers will be Jake Neighbours, Pavel Buchnevich, Connor McMichael, and Jonatan Berggren. The only two players who could realistically compete for any of those spots are Pius Suter and Otto Stenberg, and the only player really eligible to fall out of the middle six is Berggren.
So, in all likelihood, those six players will be looking to find chemistry with one another. Neighbours and Buchnevich have plenty of history playing together, so we could likely see them together, leaving McMichael and Berggren together. McTavish is a more established NHL center than Dvorsky is, so it's fair to assume he lands on the second line.
Nonetheless, anything can happen, and the internal battles will be worth following.
The Blues' defense corps is nearly set. Philip Broberg and Logan Mailloux will be the top pairing, followed by the next three veterans: Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Brandon Carlo, but the final spot will likely come down to Theo Lindstein and Tyler Tucker.
Tucker is the more experienced of the two, but Lindstein is held in high regard within the organization as a 2023 first-round pick. In 17 games to end the 2025-26 season, Lindstein looked solid alongside Parayko. Tucker has 159 NHL games, including 69 last year.
Whoever stands out for better reasons in pre-season will likely land the job, while the other sits in the press box as the seventh defenseman.
The Blues will bring several prospects to training camp, including Justin Carbonneau, Adam Jiricek, and Maddox Dagenais. Dagenais is the farthest from being NHL-ready, but Jiricek and Carbonneau enter camp with aspirations of putting themselves on the map.
Carbonneau was among the final cuts last season, and Jiricek had a breakout campaign that has really excited the Blues. Both are very much on the outside looking in, but a strong camp could accelerate their timeline.
Outside of the recent first-round picks, players like Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Zach Dean, Juraj Pekarcik, Dylan Peterson, and many others are looking to show they are ready for call-ups.
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Florida Panthers fans will be able to watch all four of the teams preseason games for free, courtesy of the Cats themselves.
On Tuesday, the Panthers announced that they would be offering a free broadcast for each of the four games on Panthers+.
All fans need to do is log onto PanthersPlus.TV and register for a free account.
Additionally, when visiting the Panthers+ page, there was also an option to register for an exclusive stream of Panthers Training Camp set for Thursday, Sept. 17 at noon.
Florida’s four preseason games are as follows:
Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Carolina
Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Carolina
Thursday, Sept. 24 at Tampa Bay
Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Tampa Bay
Last year, Florida's preseason games, particularly the ones against Tampa, had plenty of fireworks in terms of physicality.
We'll see if this season continues that glove-dropping tradition.
The Panthers are expected to begin their training camp next week, with players already participating in informal workouts at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.
The regular season begins for Florida on Sept. 29 at Lenovo Center against the Carolina Hurricanes, who will be raising their Stanley Cup banner prior to puck drop.
Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025; Tampa,Florida, USA; linesman Jonathan Deschamps (80) drops the puck for a face-off betweenFloridaPantherscenter Sam Bennett (9) and Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) in the second period at Benchmark International Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
After one season back in his native Russia, goaltender Ilya Samsonov is coming back to North America to launch a potential NHL comeback. On Tuesday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks had signed the 29-year-old netminder to a one-year, two-contract for the 2026-27 season.
According to PuckPedia, Samsonov's deal carries a salary of $850,000 at the NHL level and $225,000 in the minor leagues.
Samsonov, unless something drastically changes in training camp, is expected to be assigned to the American Hockey League for the first time since the 2020-21 season where he'll play with the San Jose Barracuda.
While the Sharks won't have to pay Samsonov a full NHL salary at the AHL level due to the two-way contract, he is still waiver-eligible which could present a problem if a team is very desperate for goaltending at the conclusion of preseason. More than likely, they shouldn't have any issues getting him sent to the AHL though.
Samsonov is now the fourth goaltender in the Sharks organization with NHL experience along with Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Eric Comrie. The Magnitogorsk native previously had stints with the Washington Capitals (who selected him in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft), the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Last season, Samsonov made his return to the Kontinental Hockey League with HK Sochi. In 14 games, he registered a 3.27 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to honor Jackson, who coached the team to five titles, with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. A ceremony unveiling the statue is set for April 9, when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason," Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement announcing the ceremony. "His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad's invitation to join the Lakers, Phil's unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves."
Jackson first came to the Lakers in 1999, at a time the Lakers were the most talented team in the league, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. However, getting all those players on the same page was the issue. Jackson came in with the gravitas to make everyone listen — especially Shaq, who has said at that point in his career he needed a coach who could stand up to him in his eyes and tell him no. Jackson did (and at points Kobe paid the price). Shaq played arguably the best basketball of his career under Jackson and the Lakers three-peated with that team.
Jackson left, but returned a few years later to patch things up with Kobe and win two more titles with the Lakers in the Kobe and Pau Gasol era.
For much of his time with the Lakers, Jackson and Buss dated and got engaged in 2013, only to break it off three years later.
Jackson becomes the ninth person from the Lakers organization with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, joining Riley, Shaq, Kobe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson and Jerry West. The one surprising name not on that list: Dr. Jerry Buss.
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Adou Thiero.
The Lakers used this offseason to revamp their entire roster, getting younger, faster and more athletic as they move into the Luka Dončić era. One of Los Angeles’s key figures in this transitional period — who falls under each of those three categories — is 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero.
Following a season riddled with injuries hindering him from establishing any modicum of a presence in JJ Redick’s rotation, fans anticipated a leap in Summer League. It took the athletic, high-flying forward a game or two for the play to slow down for him and to start showing glimpses of progression between rookie and sophomore seasons.
The majority of Thiero’s 25 appearances last season were in garbage time as he recovered from his various lower-body injuries. He did, however, earn enough trust to appear in six playoff games, though he averaged just a hair under six minutes per game.
Thiero averaged 15.4 points, six rebounds, three assists and 1.8 steals in his five games in Las Vegas before sitting out the Lakers’ Summer League finale with a wrist injury. He jumped off the screen (almost literally) in every contest, though, flashing powerful dunks, vicious blocks and a vastly improved defensive arsenal.
The Lakers have a gaping hole at power forward and plenty of suitable options alongside Thiero, like Jarred Vanderbilt, Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia, competing for a defined role in the frontcourt. But what would Thiero’s path be?
What is his best-case scenario?
Thiero is already one of the best pure athletes in the league, so he fits naturally off the ball next to Dončić and Austin Reaves offensively. Where he could really carve out a role in the rotation this season is by taking a sizeable leap on the other side of the floor as a versatile defensive wing.
Despite limited production last season, Thiero displayed plenty of potential as a connective perimeter defender, grading out in the 64th percentile as a ball screen navigator and the 80th and 83rd percentiles in pick pocket rate and passing lane defense, respectively, according to Basketball Index.
He has a keen awareness of where to be when defending off the ball. Couple that with his natural athleticism and he could be a threat from anywhere on the court.
Watch below as Thiero plays as the tagger off the ball while LeBron James and DeAndre Ayton guard the pick-and-roll. Guarding Scottie Barnes in the corner, Thiero slides over early enough in the action to disrupt the rolling Jonathan Mogbo, then reads Immanuel Quickley’s eyes as he passes to Barnes, who is lifting up to the perimeter. Thiero covers nearly 15 feet of space to steal the ball and create a transition look for the Lakers.
The fully idealized version of Thiero develops a reliable perimeter shot, turning him into the highly-coveted 3-and-D wing archetype. He made just one 3-pointer in three attempts last season. In 12 South Bay games, he shot 10-of-20. Through seven Summer League appearances (California Classic and Vegas), he shot 2-of-14 (14.3%). Thiero not only needs to show an ability to knock down the deep ball, but also the willingness to attempt it.
In regards to his fit alongside Dončić, think of Derrick Jones Jr.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Plenty of underlying proclivities stand in the way of Thiero becoming the version of himself that the Lakers need — namely, the aforementioned lack of perimeter shooting and an already checkered injury history.
Los Angeles drafted Thiero as he was still recovering from a left knee injury he suffered while at Arkansas that sidelined him for the first portion of his rookie season. Later in the year, he was sidelined for five weeks with a right knee MCL sprain. When a player as athletic as Thiero suffers multiple lower body injuries early in their career, that’s usually a cause for concern.
What if he never develops a deep ball? Does he turn into another version of Vanderbilt? Are the injuries this early in his career a problem? Could they become one?
What is his most likely role on the team?
Thiero has a ton of room for growth this early in his career. Although his natural athleticism pops on the court, he still needs to develop the intangibles and floor spacing that separate him from many of his counterparts. That being said, there still is a role that needs to be filled in the frontcourt.
He came to Los Angeles as a work in progress, but, to his credit, he has already showcased an ability and willingness to improve his craft.
We will know as early as training camp whether Thiero made an impactful enough leap in his game to elevate beyond just a fringe rotation player.
The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues will face off in a new version of the Prospects Challenge. This edition will feature only these two teams and will be played at Blackhawks Ice Center.
There will be practices on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with head-to-head matchups on Monday and Tuesday. On August 31st, the Blackhawks revealed which players will be participating in this event.
The Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the NHL. Plenty of their high-end prospects will be on display at the Prospect Challenge. Multiple players participating in this will play in 2026-27 regular-season NHL games.
9 days after the Blackhawks released their roster for the Prospect Challenge, the Blues released theirs. St. Louis hasn't been a bottom 5 NHL team like the Blackhawks over the last half-decade, meaning their draft picks haven't been as good and they haven't been acquiring an abundance of selections, but they are coming in with some firepower as well.
There are 3 St. Louis Blues first-round picks coming to Chicago for this. Maddox Dagenais (2026), Justin Carbonneau (2025), and Adam Jiricek (2024) are all former top selections, and they now have another opportunity to show why picking them was a good idea.
The rest of the prospects that St. Louis is bringing can be found here or seen below:
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ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 31: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park on August 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Walt Weiss had some bad news for the Braves starting pitching rotation in this afternoon’s press conference.
#Braves Bryce Elder saw a doctor and had his knee checked yesterday. He had surgery today to repair it – scope cleanup.
It's a 3-4 week recovery and he hopes to pitch in October. Elder has been dealing with an issue for nearly two months.
Oy. Per the manager himself, Bryce Elder had a minor knee surgery today. Apparently, he has been dealing with it for some time. He hopes to pitch in the postseason. I do as well, but yeech. Would that mean the Braves made the NLCS or World Series? Because that might be optimistic.
Our man Demetrius Bell is on the scene and have more later.
The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t hand Rasmus Andersson a seven-year, $59.5 million contract expecting him to simply fit in.
They brought him to Vegas expecting him to make a difference.
The 29-year-old Andersson arrived in January after the Golden Knights acquired him from the Calgary Flames in a blockbuster deal that sent defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Abram Wiebe, along with a conditional 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 second-round pick, to Calgary.
But his first postseason with Vegas left plenty to be desired.
Andersson managed just six points in 22 playoff games as the Golden Knights fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the Stanley Cup Final. For comparison, the last time Andersson appeared in the playoffs with Calgary during the 2021-22 season, he produced the same six points in just 12 games.
So when Vegas handed him a seven-year, $59.5 million extension carrying an $8.5 million annual average value, it was only natural for fans to wonder whether more was coming.
Andersson, however, seems more than happy with where he landed.
“Ever since I got traded here, I’ve loved it. Couldn’t be happier. We really fell in love with the city, as well,” Andersson said via Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
This is a good sign.
And while the Golden Knights need Andersson to eventually live up to his contract, it is probably too early to write him off based on a 22-game sample with a new organization.
Joining a new team in the middle of a season is difficult enough. Learning a new system, adjusting to new teammates and finding your place within a different locker room takes time. Andersson didn’t have the benefit of a full training camp or preseason to settle into life in Vegas before being thrown into the pressure cooker of a playoff run.
There is also something to be said for the fact that Andersson genuinely wanted to be there.
The Swedish Olympian had spent years playing in Calgary and finally got the opportunity to join a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations. Would Vegas rather have acquired a player who was reluctant to be there, or one who is excited about the city, the organization and the opportunity—even if he needs some time to fully find his footing?
The Colorado Avalanche faced a similar situation with Brock Nelson. There were plenty of questions when Nelson arrived, but he responded by putting together one of his best seasons in years before helping Team USA win Olympic gold.
Sometimes, patience pays off.
Andersson has had time to settle in now. He knows his teammates, understands the expectations and has a full offseason to prepare for his first complete season in Vegas.
The Golden Knights need more from their new defenseman.
But there is no reason to believe he can’t give it to them.
Andersson should arrive at training camp motivated, comfortable and determined to prove that Vegas made the right investment—and perhaps help deliver the franchise its second Stanley Cup.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
3. Noah Ostlund - F (Rochester - AHL, Buffalo - NHL
Ostlund was the Sabres second first-round pick (16th overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal after scoring 42 points for the Djurgardens junior-level club, 10 points for Sweden at the Under-18s, and a brief stint in the SHL. The following season, he had 26 points (8 goals, 18 assists) in 37 regular season games in the second-level pro league Allsvenskan and four points (1 goal, 3 assists) for Team Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Who will fill the gap caused by the departure of Alex Tuch?
He travelled to North America after his season in Sweden and joined the Rochester Americans for their Calder Cup Playoff run, but did not play. The Stockholm native chose not to come over and play for the Amerks in 2023 and instead returned to Sweden to play for Vaxjo and play again for his country at the 2024 World Junior in Gothenburg.
After thriving at the WJC, (3 goals, 7 assists in seven games) and earning a silver medal, Ostlund followed that up being a solid contributor for Vaxjo, with 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 38 games. He joined Rochester at the end of the AHL season, earning an assist in two regular season games and one goal in three playoff games.
In his first full season in North America, Ostlund missed nearly two months with a hand injury, but returned just before Christmas and went goalless in his first 10 games, but finished the season with 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games and earned a late-season NHL call up.
Last season, after averaging over a point per game with the Amerks was called up by the Sabres, and became a regular, shifting between center and wing, playing solid two-way hockey, and scoring 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 games. With the departure of Alex Tuch, Buffalo appears to be relying on the 22-year-old to show more progress at the offensive end of the ice, likely in a third line role, but possibly graduating into the top six if he has success.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 6: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Atlanta Braves begin their series against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday evening, they’re switching things up in the lineup a bit to again attempt to find an offensive spark.
Michael Harris II will hit in the leadoff spot for the first time since Aug. 23 in the series opener. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson follow, dropping Drake Baldwin, who will DH this game with Sean Murphy back behind the plate, to the fourth spot.
Mauricio Dubón is also back at shortstop and hitting fifth, and Mike Yastrzemski will play left field and hit eighth against a right-handed starter.
The Rays have catcher Liam Hicks back in the cleanup spot after he was out of the lineup in their last game on Sunday.
Also of note, Jorge Mateo, who started the season in Atlanta, is now with Tampa and will start at short and hit ninth for the series opener.
Seeing as he’s made just one career start against the team, only five current Rays have taken a major league at-bat against Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver.
Mind you, that collective production has been pretty good as this quintet is a combined 5-for-10 against the right-hander. Hicks (2-for-2) leads that charge, which includes a homer, a double, three RBIs, three strikeouts and two walks.
The Braves’ hitters have much more of a track record against Rays starter Freddy Peralta, albeit it’s not nearly as successful. They’re a combined 31-for-140 (.221) against the right-hander with eight doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs, 40 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Michael Harris II (4-for-9) is a standout of the bunch against Peralta, and Matt Olson and Austin Riley are each hitting over .300 against him with a pair of homers apiece and a combined eight RBIs.
Interestingly considering Peralta isn’t a reverse-splits guy, the right-handed platoon outfielder, Lane Thomas, has a much better history against him (3-for-9, two doubles, two RBIs) than the left-handed half of the platoon, Yastrzemski, who is 1-for-13 (.077) lifetime against Peralta.
SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Sunday, September 6, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country.
We’re heading down to the final stretch of the regular season, and the Yankees are preparing to make a deep run into the playoffs.
Judge returns to the lineup on Tuesday to face the Rockies after being reinstated from the injured list on Monday night. He’ll play a crucial role in the Yankees’ offense as they strive to clinch a playoff spot.
The next couple of weeks will determine whether the Pinstripes will rise or fall in the American League East. The pennant race is coming down to the wire as the Yankees remain four games behind the Rays as of Tuesday. They will head to the Bronx to face the Yankees in a critical four-game series beginning with a doubleheader on September 22. The Red Sox are merely two games behind the Yankees, which could mean some trouble if they win their upcoming series against the Rays and the Guardians.
All things considered, Judge is expected to bring a huge boost to this team at all levels. He’ll be playing the field in the Bronx to start the series against Colorado, and there is no doubt that Yankees fans will erupt in applause and give a standing ovation as No. 99 makes his return debut. With his energy back in the lineup, we’ll hopefully see more offensive production that fans have been eagerly awaiting since the end of May.
With the return of the captain, how far will the Yankees go in 2026?
Samsonov is returning to play hockey in North America after spending the 2025-26 season in the KHL with Sochi. He didn't end up playing as many games as he might've thought he would in Russia, making 14 appearances. He posted a .903 save percentage and a 3.27 goals-against average in that stint.
The 2024-25 campaign marked the last time Samsonov featured in the NHL. He featured for the Vegas Golden Knights that year, making 29 appearances. The Russian netminder posted a .891 SP in those 29 games, earning a 16-9-four record.
Samsonov also played two seasons with the Maple Leafs, one year much better than the other. He joined Toronto in free agency ahead of the 2022-23 season, signing a one-year deal at $1.8 million.
In that first season with the Leafs, Samsonov was great, sharing the net with Matt Murray for the most part. He wound up playing in 42 games and registered an excellent .919 SP and a 2.33 GAA with a 27-10-5 record.
The next year wasn't so great for the 6-foot-3 goaltender. He signed a new contract, which was another one-year agreement, but at a $3.55-million cap hit. In 40 games, he posted a .890 SP and a 3.13 GAA.
For the Sharks this upcoming season on a two-way deal, Samsonov likely ranks behind Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic and Eric Comrie on the goaltending depth chart. Therefore, the AHL's San Jose Barracuda is where the 29-year-old will likely spend most of his time in 2026-27.
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