Sergei Samsonov is mounting a comeback after sitting out the 2011-12 NHL season.
The Edmonton Journal reported this week that Samsonov was heading to the San Jose Sharks training camp, which is not quite accurate, according to a new report from CSNNE.com.
Although Samsonov’s camp has held discussions with San Jose, the forward’s agent, Neil Abbott, said that no deal has been struck yet. Abbott did not divulge which teams Samsonov is in discussion with.
Igor Larionov, who is not the Russian winger’s agent but who is working with Samsonov, first told the Journal of the San Jose possibility.
“Sergei is definitely making a comeback,” Abbott told CSNNE.com. “He is skating with Igor in Detroit, but Larionov is not his agent. I am speaking with several teams and we have not made a deal with the San Jose Sharks.”
The Sharks issued a “no comment” to the site.
The 33-year-old Samsonov last played in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers in 2011. He was selected eighth overall in the 1997 draft by the Boston Bruins, with whom he won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year after recording 22 goals and 25 assists in 1997-98. If he were in fact to link with the Sharks, the move would reunite him with former Bruin Joe Thornton.
Samsonov has 235 goals and 336 assists in 888 career NHL games with Boston, Edmonton, Montreal, Chicago, Carolina and Florida.
After four 20-goal seasons with Boston early in his career, Samsonov’s production dwindled. He finished 2010-11 with 13 goals and 27 assists in 78 games played.
