Ilya Samsonov unveils new goalie mask in hopes of finding his groove in the second half

The struggles of Ilya Samsonov have been well documented this season. I'm sure I don't have to remind anyone of Samsonov's horrendous stat line in 2023-24, but with half of the season still ahead, there's plenty of time for the Russian netminder to sort out the kinks and get back to playing quality hockey in the second half.

Coming into this season, Samsonov had created a brand new mask, inspired by the likes of Vesa Toskala and the great Curtis Joseph. The design can be seen below.


After his horrendous start, Samsonov did away with the Toskala/Cujo design and went back to the mask he wore last season. Samsonov viewed the old mask as good luck, having posted a .919 SV% in the original mask and leading the Leafs to their first playoff win in nearly 20 years as well.


Now, it appears as though Samsonov has done away with his original mask as well, as he was spotted at Leafs practice yesterday donning a new bucket. David Alter of The Hockey News snapped a few photos of Sammy's new mask.






Goalies are very superstitious creatures, so perhaps this new mask will help snap Samsonov out of his funk. The mental game is an important aspect in hockey, so if this new mask gives Samsonov a different feeling when he's out there, it may even act as a bit of a catalyst and help him rediscover his game. Anything's worth a shot at this point.