Capitals Goalie Prospect Ilya Samsonov Competing for Team Russia in Germany Cup

The KHL has a break in their season, with no games scheduled from November 8 through November 12, so that selected players are free to play in international competition such as the Deutchland Cup, otherwise known as the Germany Cup.

The Deutschland Cup was originally played in 1987 and has been played most years since then. This year, the 2017 Deutschland Cup will take place in Augsburg, Germany from November 10-12. The nations who will field teams this year include Germany, Slovakia, Russia, and the United States. The coaches will use this tournament as preparation for the upcoming Olympics, as well as a chance to evaluate players.

Washington Capitals’ goalie prospect, Ilya Samsonov, was selected for Team Russia, along with the other goaltender on his team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Vasily Koshechkin. Russia’s schedule for the initial round robin will be as follows: Germany on November 10; United States on November 11; and Slovakia on November 12.

Samsonov had recently sustained a concussion in a game on November 2. However, he had recovered sufficiently to serve as backup in a game on November 4.

In another note that might interest Caps fans, one of the players on the USA roster for this tournament is former Hershey Bears player, Ryan Stoa.

By Diane Doyle