TORONTO -- Ilya Samsonov is back with the Toronto Maple Leafs... sort of.
The club recalled its struggling top-paid goaltender ahead of Wednesday's practice, returning prospect Dennis Hildeby to the AHL Marlies before he had a chance to taste NHL action.
Samsonov, who maintained a stall in the Leafs dressing room during his demotion, practised with the big club for the first time since he gave up six goals on 21 shots during a disastrous 6-5 collapse to the Columbus Blue Jackets in late December.
The move is less about getting Samsonov back into the NHL than it is about squeezing Hildeby into some games.
Hildeby's camp and the Maple Leafs organization have prioritized the gigantic goalie's 2023-24 as a development year. And with veteran Martin Jones slated to make a sixth consecutive start Thursday on Long Island, Hildeby's groove of game action has been interrupted so he could sit on the bench and watch Jones do his thing.
"That's really what it's about," coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Wednesday, before jetting to New York. "But at the same time, it gives us a chance to assess Ilya and give him an opportunity to get back with the group.
“You want to see him play with confidence in the net. Right now, all we have to go off are his practices. You want to see him practise well and have good habits, and you want to see him have life about him and confidence. We’ll reassess after Friday.”
Samsonov had become unplayable.
And with Joseph Woll (high ankle sprain) still weeks from recovery, and the trade market thin on reasonable alternatives, the organization is doing its best to buy time for Woll (now skating solo) and manage the situation on the fly.
"It's all unpredictable," Keefe said recently.
The coach was speaking generally to the state of NHL goaltending, but the sentiment applies to where, exactly, the Leafs crease goes from here.
To free up Hildeby, Samsonov will back up Jones against the Islanders.
Earlier this week, GM Brad Treliving did not outline a plan for Samsonov, who had been working on his mental and technical game with development staff for a week before participating in one Marlies practice (Tuesday) and now one with the Leafs.
The team declined to make Samsonov available to reporters following practice, protecting him from professional game action and the media.
“Part of what he’s going through is physical, but more of it is mental,” Keefe said. “You guys are fine people. But when you’re going through something, [answering questions] doesn’t help. It hurts."
Toronto is staring at a weekend back-to-back versus Colorado and Detroit that extends to a three-in-four-nights set when you include Tuesday's challenge in Edmonton against Connor McDavid's red-hot Oilers.
Thank goodness for Jones, earning every penny of his $875,000 salary, but he'll need a breath.
"I'm sure it's challenging playing all these games, but he's doing a great job," Morgan Rielly said. "Jonesy's been great. Had a great [California] trip for us. It's not easy playing back-to-backs, but you didn't hear a peep out of him. He just worked and played well.
"He's just doing his thing."
Between starts, Jones celebrated his 34th birthday Wednesday with a hockey practice.
His thing is playing goalie for the Maple Leafs. At some point, Jones will need support doing his thing.
Knies should be OK after practice scare
With Wednesday's news of Connor Bedard undergoing jaw surgery and being sidelined for as long as eight weeks, diehard members of Leafs Nation wondered if Matthew Knies may have an outside shot at entering the Calder Trophy conversation.
Toronto's prized rookie has carved out a niche on the club's top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and has comported himself well in a forechecking and playmaking role with the superstars.
Well, Knies himself suffered an injury scare Wednesday and needed help off the ice from teammates after going down during a drill.
Matthews told reporters he saw his linemate after the skate and that the injury appeared minor.
Knies will travel with the club to Long Island, an optimistic Keefe assured, and may well be available to suit up against the Islanders.
One-Timers: Despite ripping a goal in his last-minute return to the lineup during Tuesday's 7-1 rout of the San Jose Sharks, Nick Robertson is expected to be a healthy scratch Thursday on Long Island as Noah Gregor recovers from illness. Keefe on Robertson: "I don't think he's fully separated himself from the pack."... That pack features Pontus Holmberg, one of Mitch Marner's favourite players in the NHL. The Swede scored a beautiful one-handed goal against the Sharks and is endearing himself to the team by playing centre, left wing and right wing this season, bouncing around the bottom six. "You can do a lot with that as a coach," Keefe said.... Mark Giordano missed Wednesday's practice and took a recovery day instead. Expect him to play Thursday.... Marlies Hildeby and Alex Steeves were named to the AHL all-star game in San Jose.
Maple Leafs projected lines Thursday at New York Islanders
Knies – Matthews – Marner
Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander
Hölmberg – Domi – Järnkrok
McMann – Kämpf – Gregor
Rielly – Brodie
Benoit – McCabe
Giordano – Liljegren
Jones starts
Samsonov
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