Leafs netminder Ilya Samsonov shares details of his injury

It's been a tough year for the Leafs in terms of injuries, as the team has lost a lot of man games to various ailments, both minor and major, this season. One of the latest players to be struck by the injury bug is goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who went down against the Oilers on Saturday. However, today, Sammy provided an explanation as to what went wrong and gave the media the thumbs up after practice in terms of his overall health.

Samsonov informed the media on Wednesday that he had suffered a calf injury on Saturday, which explains why he needed help getting off the ice and down the tunnel. He didn't share the specifics, but the most likely cause of the issue was a bad calf cramp. For anyone who has had one, you'll know how your entire lower leg and foot tightens up. It can be very painful. These are common in football as well.


Samsonov also revealed on Wednesday that he's completely pain free and is ready to play when his number is called, which could be as early as tomorrow against the Washington Capitals - his former team.


The 27-year-old's struggles early on this season received a lot of coverage, as has his incredible return to form from January onward. Since returning from his AHL assignment, Samsonov has won 14 games for the Leafs dating back to January 21st.