The year 2024 was full of ups and downs for the Maple Leafs. Join us as we turn back the clock and reflect on some of the most notable Maple Leafs moments from the past 365 days. 
Nobody had higher highs or lower lows with the Maple Leafs in recent memory than Ilya Samsonov. On one hand, he was the goaltender between the pipes when the Leafs broke a 19-year curse and won their first playoff round since 2004. On the other hand, he had what may have been one of the ugliest stretches of goaltending in team history for the first half of the 2023-24 season.
Nobody can take away his role in the Maple Leafs playoff series win over Tampa Bay, but the way it started shattered any confidence he brought with him into the following season. By the end of 2023, Samsonov had owned a league-worst save percentage (SV%) of .862 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.94. He was eventually put on waivers and sent to the American Hockey League (AHL)&#8217;s Toronto Marlies, not to play games, but to recoup his mental game and get himself back to a point where he could focus on helping his team win games instead of fighting himself.
Samsonov made his return to the NHL on December 14. A week later, he picked up his first win since returning. Three days after that, he registered a shutout in a 1-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Not only was the shutout a massive moment for both him and his team, but it worked wonders in winning the fans back, too. The crowd erupted into a &#8220;Sammy! Sammy! Sammy!&#8221; chant, which got the better of the goaltender emotionally.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
&quot;It&#39;s unbelievable, you know, like I almost cried.&quot;
Ilya Samsonov, when asked about his reaction to the crowd chanting his name during a dominant performance. 👏 <a href="https://t.co/vthA1gqZyQ">pic.twitter.com/vthA1gqZyQ</a>
&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1750354162640957757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We won. It’s huge,&#8221; Samsonov continued. &#8220;Really important for me to build some confidence,” he said. “Everything in my head, not panicking, moment by moment. It’s really important for me right now.”
It wasn&#8217;t the happiest of endings for Samsonov and the Maple Leafs as a pair, with the former starting Game 7 of the first round against Boston after Joseph Woll suffered an injury immediately following a heroic Game 6 performance and ultimately taking the loss. The Russian netminder ended up signing a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason, at the exact same value ($1.8 million) he got from Toronto when he originally signed there, while the Maple Leafs replaced him with Anthony Stolarz on a two-year contract.
Success aside, it&#8217;s safe to say that Samsonov earned himself some credit with the Maple Leafs by helping them out of the first round in 2022-23, and even though he had a nightmarish 2023-24 season, his shutout upon returning to the NHL and the subsequent support from the fans was a fond memory for all involved.
<h2>Join us for the first-ever TLN Nation Vacation!</h2>
<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-115002" src="https://i0.wp.com/publish.theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2099/08/TLN_Nashville_article-1.png?resize=727%2C404&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/publish.theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2099/08/TLN_Nashville_article-1.png?w=727&amp;ssl=1 727w, https://i0.wp.com/publish.theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2099/08/TLN_Nashville_article-1.png?resize=300%2C167&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="(max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" />
Alright, hockey fans, this isn’t just a trip—it’s the <a href="https://nationgear.ca/products/nation-vacation-toronto-to-nashville-2025">Nation Vacation</a>, and we’re heading to the Music City from March 20th to 23rd! Get ready to watch Toronto take on Nashville in their own barn, soak up the honky-tonk vibes, and make unforgettable memories with the Nation crew. Whether you’re all in for a flight package or prefer a non-flight option, we’ve got you covered. Just don’t wait—spots are limited, and this trip is going to be electric. Book your spot NOW at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/products/nation-vacation-toronto-to-nashville-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://nationgear.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1734810980719000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_i7FzyATbvkLHQ3ApMxZH">nationgear.ca</a>. Let’s go, Toronto! Nashville is calling!

The year 2024 was full of ups and downs for the Maple Leafs. Join us as we turn back the clock and reflect on some of the most notable Maple Leafs moments from the past 365 days. 

Nobody had higher highs or lower lows with the Maple Leafs in recent memory than Ilya Samsonov. On one hand, he was the goaltender between the pipes when the Leafs broke a 19-year curse and won their first playoff round since 2004. On the other hand, he had what may have been one of the ugliest stretches of goaltending in team history for the first half of the 2023-24 season.

Nobody can take away his role in the Maple Leafs playoff series win over Tampa Bay, but the way it started shattered any confidence he brought with him into the following season. By the end of 2023, Samsonov had owned a league-worst save percentage (SV%) of .862 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.94. He was eventually put on waivers and sent to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Toronto Marlies, not to play games, but to recoup his mental game and get himself back to a point where he could focus on helping his team win games instead of fighting himself.

Samsonov made his return to the NHL on December 14. A week later, he picked up his first win since returning. Three days after that, he registered a shutout in a 1-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Not only was the shutout a massive moment for both him and his team, but it worked wonders in winning the fans back, too. The crowd erupted into a "Sammy! Sammy! Sammy!" chant, which got the better of the goaltender emotionally.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1750354162640957757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“We won. It’s huge," Samsonov continued. "Really important for me to build some confidence,” he said. “Everything in my head, not panicking, moment by moment. It’s really important for me right now.”

It wasn't the happiest of endings for Samsonov and the Maple Leafs as a pair, with the former starting Game 7 of the first round against Boston after Joseph Woll suffered an injury immediately following a heroic Game 6 performance and ultimately taking the loss. The Russian netminder ended up signing a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason, at the exact same value ($1.8 million) he got from Toronto when he originally signed there, while the Maple Leafs replaced him with Anthony Stolarz on a two-year contract.

Success aside, it's safe to say that Samsonov earned himself some credit with the Maple Leafs by helping them out of the first round in 2022-23, and even though he had a nightmarish 2023-24 season, his shutout upon returning to the NHL and the subsequent support from the fans was a fond memory for all involved.
<h2>Join us for the first-ever TLN Nation Vacation!</h2>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-115002" src="https://publish.theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2099/08/TLN_Nashville_article-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" />

Alright, hockey fans, this isn’t just a trip—it’s the <a href="https://nationgear.ca/products/nation-vacation-toronto-to-nashville-2025">Nation Vacation</a>, and we’re heading to the Music City from March 20th to 23rd! Get ready to watch Toronto take on Nashville in their own barn, soak up the honky-tonk vibes, and make unforgettable memories with the Nation crew. Whether you’re all in for a flight package or prefer a non-flight option, we’ve got you covered. Just don’t wait—spots are limited, and this trip is going to be electric. Book your spot NOW at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/products/nation-vacation-toronto-to-nashville-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://nationgear.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1734810980719000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_i7FzyATbvkLHQ3ApMxZH">nationgear.ca</a>. Let’s go, Toronto! Nashville is calling!

Top Leafs moments of 2024 – When Ilya Samsonov had his first shutout after return to the NHL

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