The Washington Capitals were more than content to take their time waiting for Samsonov after they selected the goalie from Magnitogorsk, Russia, in the first round (No. 22) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Washington selected Samsonov, rated by NHL Central Scouting as the top European goalie available in the draft, after the 18-year-old had made his Kontinental Hockey League debut with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He played three more seasons in the KHL before signing with the Capitals on May 4, 2018.
The Washington Capitals were more than content to take their time waiting for Samsonov after they selected the goalie from Magnitogorsk, Russia, in the first round (No. 22) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Washington selected Samsonov, rated by NHL Central Scouting as the top European goalie available in the draft, after the 18-year-old had made his Kontinental Hockey League debut with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He played three more seasons in the KHL before signing with the Capitals on May 4, 2018.
The Capitals sent him to Hershey of the American Hockey League, where he went 20-14-2 with a 2.70 goals-against average in 2018-19.
Samsonov made the roster for the 2019-20 season and made his NHL debut in a 25-save 2-1 win against the New York Islanders on Oct. 5, 2019. He won 11 consecutive decisions from Nov. 30, 2019, through Jan. 31, 2020, and finished his first NHL season 16-6-0 in 26 games (22 starts) with a 2.55 GAA, a .913 save percentage and one shutout, showing the potential of emerging as an NHL starter.
