Ilya Samsonov's brilliance deserves starting role in playoffs

Ilya Samsonov is putting in consistently impressive performances in net for the Maple Leafs and while Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe has favoured a tandem with Matt Murray through the regular season, he should put his trust in Samsonov as the Leafs number one goaltender in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Video Transcript

OMAR: So I think it's about time Ilya Samson I've got a legitimate run as the pseudo-number one goalie for the Leafs and not just because of injury. He did get a run at the beginning of the season when Matt Murray was injured after the first game. But his play as of late has been stellar. When Ilya Samsonov decides, hey, I'm going to go off, he goes off.

And it's so disappointing when he has a lot of ridiculous saves, the scorpion leg comes up, he sprawls out at the top of his crease as confident as ever, makes those saves. It's so disappointing when he has these great performances, but the team in front of him just can't support him.

But I think it's time now where, hey, give him a run because, again, we're all leading to the playoffs here. And at some point, you need to figure out who is going to be the dude in net for game one, two, three, whatever.

I don't think it would make most-- a lot of sense to do the whole back and forth in the playoffs between Samsonov and Murray. I think once the playoffs start, once game one starts, you have to have an idea of, OK, who is the person to start. And then obviously, if things go wrong, then you make your adjustments.

But right-- as of now, right now, Ilya Samsonov is having a really, really good-- I don't know-- vibe, idea. He's giving a lot of reasons as to why it should be him. And I think the Leafs should run for it for a little bit.