Samsonov won't join Capitals in Toronto due to injury

Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov will not accompany his teammates to Toronto and will remain in the U.S. capital to continue treatment after suffering an injury, the club announced Saturday, according to The Washington Post's Samantha Pell.

The Capitals expect Samsonov to be healthy for the 2020-21 campaign.

Samsonov didn't take part in Saturday's practice - the team's final session before its departure to Toronto on Sunday - and hasn't skated at all since training camp began, as Pell noted before the Capitals issued the statement.

The rookie netminder posted a .913 save percentage and a 4.34 goals saved above average in 26 games during the regular season. He outperformed veteran starter Braden Holtby. who authored a .897 save percentage and a minus-14.7 GSAA - the latter of which was third-worst in the NHL - in 48 contests.

Despite that disparity, Capitals head coach Todd Reirden said in June he expected Holtby to get the "first crack" at the No. 1 job in the postseason.

The Capitals drafted Samsonov 22nd overall in 2015. The 23-year-old spent four campaigns in the KHL before coming over to North America as one of the league's most highly touted goaltending prospects.

Washington will face the Carolina Hurricanes in an exhibition game Wednesday before the Capitals' round-robin opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Aug. 3.

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