Sharks Sign Ilya Samsonov, Likely Bound For Barracuda
The two-way deal carries an $850,000 NHL cap hit and adds a fourth goalie with NHL experience to San Jose's organizational depth chart.
The Sharks signed goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a two-way contract September 8, and the most likely landing spot for him is San Jose's AHL affiliate in the same city, the Barracuda, which plays at Tech CU Arena.
Samsonov's deal carries an $850,000 cap hit at the NHL level, per PuckPedia. Barring injuries, the 29-year-old is expected to open the season with the Barracuda, because the Sharks already have three goalies with NHL time ahead of him: Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic, who split the workload in San Jose last season, and Eric Comrie, who signed a two-year, $2.3 million free agent deal in July. San Jose could also choose to carry three goalies to start the year.
Samsonov spent last season at home in Russia, appearing in 14 games for HK Sochi of the KHL after six seasons in the NHL. A native of Magnitogorsk, he was drafted 22nd overall by Washington in 2015 and debuted with the Capitals in 2019-20. He signed with Toronto in 2022, spent two seasons there, then played 2024-25 with Vegas. Over 200 NHL appearances he is 118-48-25 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage.
The Barracuda needed bodies in the crease. Gabriel Carriere, who played a career-high 31 games for San Jose last season, reached free agency July 1 and signed a one-year deal with the Hartford Wolf Pack, according to the team's August 20 profile.
Sharks training camp opens September 17. The NHL club's regular-season opener is set for Oct. 1 against Florida at SAP Center.
