Capitals goaltender and former 1st round pick not tendered a qualifying offer, will become a UFA on Wednesday
There are 48 hours left until NHL free agency and the goalie market is getting thinner, but today the Washington Capitals put out some pretty big news that could have some pretty big implications for the goalie market.
TSN NHL Insider Chris Johnston broke the news on Monday that the Washington Capitals did not qualify goaltender Ilya Samsonov. He will now become an unrestricted free agent. This move is a surprise as the Caps recently traded backup goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the New Jersey Devils.
A couple of days ago, there were reports that Washington was looking to upgrade in net, but I didn't think they'd let both goalies go. Instead, it seems like Washington will make a solid push for either Jack Campbell, John Gibson or Darcy Kuemper.
Samsonov had played three years in Washington. With Ilya hitting the market, this gives the Maple Leafs another option to look at in the crease. This season in 44 games, Samsonov had a record of 23-12-5 with a 3.02 GAA and .896 save percentage. The 25-year-old was a 1st round pick (22nd overall) by the Caps in 2015.
