Leafs reportedly sign Keith Petruzzelli after Ilya Samsonov injury

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed goaltender Keith Petruzelli.

The news comes just hours after Ilya Samsonov was forced out of Toronto’s 2-1 win over Boston with a knee injury after the second period on Saturday.

Petruzzelli, 23, is a perfect 5-0-0 with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season. He signed with the AHL, going 8-1-0 in two seasons. Petruzzelli stood out in the ECHL with Newfoundland last year, posting a 16-6-1 record with five shutouts in 23 regular season games. He also won the ECAC Goaltender of the Year award and finished as a Hobey Baker runner-up in the 2020-21 NCAA season.

The Leafs are now down to 50 contracts after losing Nicolas Aube-Kubel to Washington via waivers earlier in the afternoon. The Leafs didn’t get an update on Samsonov after Saturday’s game, but they weren’t expected to travel with the club to Carolina on Sunday.

Matt Murray, whom the team acquired from Ottawa over the summer, suffered an injury in practice ahead of his second start of the season this year and has only recently begun participating in practice drills on his own. training limited. Joseph Woll, the only other NHL goaltender signed in North America, is also out after shoulder surgery over the summer.

The Leafs will now go with Petruzzelli and Erik Kallgren as the team’s short-term 1-2 duo pending an update on Samsonov. Kallgren stopped all shots aimed at him in the third period after losing all three of his previous starts this season.

For Leafs fans, they are hoping for good news regarding Samsonov. It’s the first NHL contract for Petruzelli and gives the Leafs additional options once everyone is fully healthy.