Carolina Hurricanes Fan Favorites: Sergei Samsonov
By Jeb Bohn
Settling In
Having secured his role with the Hurricanes—and a new 3-year contract—Samsonov set himself up to build off a solid half-season with the Hurricanes. Despite seeing a drop off in his points per game, Samsonov finished the 2008-09 season with 16 goals, while his 48 points placed him fifth on the team in scoring. The big news was that the Hurricanes were going back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Samsonov was quiet offensively in the first round, picking up just one assist as the Hurricanes ousted the New Jersey Devils in seven games. Things changed in round two. Once again, the Boston Bruins played a role, this time as the direct opponent. Facing his former team, Samsonov picked up 4 goals and 1 assist in seven games, helping the Hurricanes upset the #1 seed in the East.
This, unfortunately, was followed by a sweep at the hands of the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins. For his part, Samsonov did manage 2 points (1g, 1a) in the series.
The 2009-10 season saw a sharp decline in his offensive output, as he managed just 29 points in 72 games. With the Hurricanes missing the playoffs, Samsonov set his sights on 2010-11. The new campaign was rough for him before it even began, as he suffered a neck injury in a preseason game against the Atlanta Thrashers.
Despite his speed and puckhandling ability, the offense continued to elude the slick-skating winger. Through 58 games, he only managed 10 goals and 26 points while seeing his ice time drop below 12 minutes per game. On February 28, 2011, Samsonov was traded for the final time, heading to the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenseman Bryan Allen.