Report: Top prospect chooses KHL over NHL

Washington Capitals top prospect Ilya Samsonov apparently will not be in an NHL goal anytime soon. The Caps’ 1st round pick (22nd overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft will play out at least the final season of his contract with the KHL’s Magnitogorsk Metallurg before being made available to the Capitals.

The 20 year old goaltender starred in the KHL this season posting a 2.13 GAA and .936 Sv% in 27 games. He was just as good at the World Junior Championships for Russia where he posted a 2.11 GAA and .930 Sv% in six tournament games. 

Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney admits that while the team is excited about Samsonov’s progress, there’s no need to rush him over to North America.

“I think there's no need to rush him. He's progressed very well for us. He played very well I thought last year in the KHL and I thought he was really, really good at the World Junior, the under-20.”