The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired goalie Matt Murray, a third-place pick in the 2023 NHL draft and a seventh-place selection in the 2024 draft from the Senators in exchange for future draft picks.
The 28-year-old Murray has two years remaining on his contract at $6.25 million. The Senators retain 25% of Murray’s salary as part of the trade with the Maple Leafs. Murray has left Toronto on the leash for $4.7 million in cap hit over the next two years.
Murray has been injured and underperformed in recent seasons. Last season, he appeared in just 20 games for the Senators, posting a 5-12-2 record with a 3.05 goals against average and .906 save percentage. Those are the same reasons the Leafs traded Petr Mrazek and pick 25th to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the 38th overall pick selection during Round 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Murray hit rock bottom
Murray spent the previous five seasons as a backup to Marc-Andre Fleury with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was the first rookie goaltender in history to help the team win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Murray’s play began to deteriorate in the years following those Cups. In 2019-20 he only peaked with a .899 save percentage, prompting his trade to the Senators.
Murray suffered a series of misfortunes in Ottawa, with injuries causing him to skip a substantial amount of time during his rookie season. His on-ice performance in 2021 was abysmal, with a.893 save percentage.
Murray struggled in the first six games of his second season, prompting the Senators to waive him in November 2021. After going unclaimed, the veteran was downgraded to the Belleville Senators, the franchise’s American Hockey League affiliate. He went 1-1-0 with a.906 percentage in two minor-league games.
Glimpse of hope
Murray returned to the Senators in January and had a good season (5-3-2,.937) before enduring two injuries late in the season. Murray was injured against the Arizona Coyotes on March 5 and was placed on injured reserve. It was his final game with the Senators.
He’ll be reunited with some familiar faces from his OHL days after signing with the Maple Leafs. Murray played with Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds about a decade ago, and he also has a long history with Jon Elkin, Toronto’s goaltender evaluation and development coach. Murray appears enthusiastic to grab this second chance.
“He’s very excited as he begins the next chapter of his hockey career with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Murray’s agent, Rob Hooper, confirmed Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch via text regarding Murray’s trade.
Murray is still regarded favorably. Especially when Murray is well aware of his flaws and tries to work around them in order to perform better.
“There are a lot of people who think Matt Murray still has the ability,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed Murray’s future on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
“They think that he has addressed some structural flaws that he has had in his game, in terms of moving side to side, that (people) think make him a better goaltender now.”
The Maple Leafs appear to have a good chance of acquiring Murray from the Senators. The question is whether the team is better off with Murray as the starter and Erik Kallgren and Joseph Woll competing for backup.