Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov said prior to starting against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday that “It’s really hard recovery after COVID. I have a problem with the breathing, so hard.”

“You got some 40 minutes practice, you feel so tired and hard breathing. But right now I feel more and more better every day.” He added that he has felt the best he has been felt conditioning-wise since testing positive for the virus on January 20.

“A really bad sick is COVID,” the 24-year-old told the media. Samsonov added that “I feel much better. I’m in better shape. I’m good. … I think I’m 100% ready right now, good shape. … I’m so happy.”

After his rookie season was cut short due to the pandemic, he missed the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a tweaked nerve, and was out a month due to COVID-19 this season, Samsonov said that “It’s been a hard year for me with the injury in the summer and COVID. … Right now, I think it’s almost done and I want to play hockey.”

On the importance of offense coming from the blueline, Samsonov said “It’s important for sure to help the team. It makes it easy for me.”

By Harrison Brown