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League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) | 2023-24 Regular Season Edition

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Empty Goal Net

Empty Goal Net

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Nice interview, mainly with Kuzy, in advance of the Canes-Leafs game tonight. Kuzy reflects a bit on his break from the game.
Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov and Hurricanes centre Evgeny Kuznetsov have leaned on each other as they've navigated trying times this season.

"I talk with him every day probably," said Samsonov. "Maybe not every day but four, five times a week. We talk to each other to [offer] support. It doesn't matter what's going on in life."

The pair of Russians struck up a close bond while playing three seasons together in Washington. They spent the Christmas break and caught up for dinner on Friday night ahead of their fourth career NHL showdown.

Samsonov is in a groove having won 13 of 15 starts since Jan. 21.

"You guys been so hard on players, in general, here over the time," Kuznetsov. "I'm so happy that he doesn't speak English well so he doesn't understand everything and that's huge for him."

Samsonov struggled in the spotlight early this season. His confidence plummeted and he ended up clearing waivers on Jan. 1.

"There's a lot of talk about hockey and team in general, right, that's life here, more than life for me probably," said Kuznetsov. "I'm so happy that he doesn't watch that all the time. He doesn't read everything, which is pretty hard to do sometimes."

Samsonov backstopped the Leafs to the franchise's first playoff series win in 19 years last year, but earned just a one-year deal following an arbitration hearing in the summer.

"I haven't seen him at the best," Kuznetsov said, "because the best games are ahead of him. I believe his best games [are] ahead of him and I'm pretty sure the people will see his best version. If he can get confident inside of that blue thing [crease] … if he can get comfortable there you guys could have a good goalie."

A first round pick in 2015, Samsonov didn't live up to his potential in Washington and the Capitals declined to extend him a qualifying offer when he was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2022.

Samsonov, who turned 27 in February, is 18-5-6 this season.

"He has to have the higher goals," Kuznetsov said. "He's not a kid anymore, so you can put pressure on him a little more right now. He has to learn. I'm just hoping he can isolate himself from all the outside talk and just play hockey."

Kuznetsov says Samsonov's poor English helps him handle heat in Toronto Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov speaks about his close friendship with Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov and says the media in Toronto is too hard on him. Kuznetsov believes Samsonov's best hockey is still in front of him but hopes to put a few goals past his buddy tonight.

Kuznetsov cleared waivers himself after recently emerging from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. The Capitals traded him to the Hurricanes before the deadline on March 8. He has played four games with Carolina.

"I'm happy to see he's back," Samsonov said. "Nice to see him in a Carolina jersey too, you know, and new opportunity."

The 31-year-old entered the Player Assistance Program in early February.

"He knows his problem," Samsonov said. "He's old guy. He understands."

"I'm staying off social media over 61 days," Kuznetsov said. "I have no idea what's outside of this locker room. I have no idea what the trades are like and who's playing where and it's kind of nice to live on the other side."

What keeps him going amid adversity?

"Paycheque," he quipped.

Kuznetsov laughed, paused, and offered some insight into what he's been going through.

"When you play games every day you don't realize how big the impact on your life that hockey makes," he said. "And then when you step away a little bit you get anxious, right, you kind of go like, 'Ah.' It's a privilege to be able to step up and look from the side and see what's your real needs in life and what you actually wanted to do for a living, right. I know we get paid a lot of money and stuff like that, but this is life. This is what we do. We travel. We shower with the boys. We do all this stuff, which sounds weird, but you miss that part a lot, so that's what motivated me to come back every day and work hard."

Kuznetsov scored during Thursday's win over the Florida Panthers – his first goal since Jan. 3 – and did his trademark bird-flapping celebration. Teammates mimicked it as part of the team's storm surge celebration after the game.

"I'm not trying to make people angry or something like that," Kuznetsov stressed. "It's just for kids and people that have been asking, and I don't really score a lot of goals so you're not going to see that 55 or 60 times a year."

In the dressing room after Thursday's game, head coach Rod Brind'Amour admitted the bird celebration used to bother him.

"I'm pretty sure it bothers a lot of people," Kuznetsov said with a laugh.

Kuznetsov is still getting up to speed with the Hurricanes. He says he spent 50 days off the ice. Brind'Amour acknowledged that conditioning and comfort with the system are issues.

For now, Kuznetsov is running on adrenaline.

"A lot of emotions right now into the game," he said.

And there will be even more emotion on Saturday as he faces his good friend.

"I try to give him no chance for the bird," Samsonov said with a laugh. "Nice opportunity for us, what time you play against your friends. He wants to score on me, I want to make some saves and it will be nice."

Samsonov sent Kuznetsov a congratulatory message after seeing his goal on Thursday night.

"It's always amazing to play against him," said Kuznetsov. "I wish him all the best and stay healthy and perform, but not tonight, which makes sense."

Samsonov has stopped all four shots Kuznetsov has sent his way during their previous NHL meetings.
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Friends Samsonov and Kuznetsov reunite on the comeback trai
 
PlushMinus

PlushMinus

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Bad Kuzy playing for the Canes tonight. Still two periods to make up for it but had some lazy / poor plays in the 1st against the Leafs.
 
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Empty Goal Net

Empty Goal Net

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Looking for a Kuzy goal in the SO.

Update: No Kuzy goal but Sammy gives up a 5-holer to Guentzel.
 
AlexModvechkin8

AlexModvechkin8

At least there was 2018.
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DWGie26 said:
K-Man is a good player. He played many years with my son in Ashburn and then for Little Caps. In fact, i actually convinced Tarik to have K-Man try out for WLC and he was unsure as he was an undersized skill player. It worked out well. He Moved to Team MD (AAA Youth hockey) his U16 year. Murray Gunty owns both TM and Black Bears so there was a path. That said, it Hasn’t been an easy run for him as is usually the case in Junior Hockey. He has persevered. Getting into Army ain’t no joke either. He has done very well! Needless to say they are all very excited.
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Pumped for Tarik’s kid, even if he’s going to the 2nd best service academy :naughty:
 
trick9

trick9

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Alexander the Gr8 said:
The Flyers are our best bet for falling out of a playoff spot, they never really belonged there in the first place.
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I disagree. They are there for a reason, but they have punched above their weight for so long that the tank seems empty.

I don't think we deserve to be there either but they do stand a good chance to get there with a strong finish. WC spot vs. Boston and they could even win a round.
 
Alexander the Gr8

Alexander the Gr8

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trick9 said:
I disagree. They are there for a reason, but they have punched above their weight for so long that the tank seems empty.

I don't think we deserve to be there either but they do stand a good chance to get there with a strong finish. WC spot vs. Boston and they could even win a round.
Click to expand...

The East is weak, I didn't mean to say that we belonged there either. The Flyers had the Torts effect giving them a boost, but I don't think their methods are sustainable.

Early season Caps didn't belong anywhere near a playoff spot, but you can see how much the young players on this team improved.
 
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bacchist

bacchist

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AlexBrovechkin8 said:
If you want to really get angry, we should be rooting for Pittsburgh later today when they play Detroit. Having to root for the Rangers and Penguins at all, let alone on the same day, feels real yuck.
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We are rooting for the penguins. 100%
 
Cappy76

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Alexander the Gr8 said:
The East is weak, I didn't mean to say that we belonged there either. The Flyers had the Torts effect giving them a boost, but I don't think their methods are sustainable.

Early season Caps didn't belong anywhere near a playoff spot, but you can see how much the young players on this team improved.
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Philly right now is the victim of having lost 4 of their top 6 D since the deadline
 
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