What happened: Samsonov returns to North America after making 14 appearances for Sochi in the KHL during 2025-26. He last played in the NHL with Vegas in 2024-25, going 16-9-4 across 29 games.
Why it matters: The two-way structure gives San Jose flexibility to move Samsonov between the NHL and AHL. He joins a depth chart featuring Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic and Eric Comrie.
By the numbers: Samsonov posted a .903 save percentage and 3.27 goals-against average with Sochi, compared with an .891 save percentage during his last NHL season. His best Toronto campaign produced a .919 save percentage, 2.33 GAA and 27-10-5 record over 42 games in 2022-23.
What to watch: Training camp will determine Samsonov's place in San Jose's goaltending hierarchy for 2026-27.