There’s rarely a day that has gone by during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2023-24 season when goaltending hasn’t been in the news cycle. But it’s rare when Matt Murray’s name is brought up.
When speaking about Toronto’s goaltending as it begins to prepare for Joseph Woll’s imminent return from a high-ankle sprain, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe brought up Matt Murray as a veteran influence in goal around the club.
That begged a follow-up question… How is Matt Murray doing?
“He’s making good progress,” Keefe said following the team’s practice on Monday. “He’s seeing pucks now, getting his work in. He’s been very consistent in here putting his work and they’ve been really happy with his progress.”
Murray was deemed healthy at the end of the 2022-23 season but the club announced just before the club’s second buyout deadline in July that they intended to place the goaltender on long-term injured reserve. The goaltender then had bilateral hip surgery before the 2023-24 season began.
The time frame for Murray’s recovery was placed at six-to-eight months. The earliest part of that window would see the 29-year-old return just weeks before the end of the regular season.
Over the last few weeks, the Leafs have restored the goaltender’s stall in their locker room. He’s been seen regularly coming out of team meetings at the club’s practice facility before full team practices begin. But other than that he hasn’t been spotted in full gear.
While it’s unlikely that Murray gets into any game action this season, it isn’t impossible. The Leafs have utilized the goaltender’s $4.6875 million exception in long-term injured reserve and would need to clear up room to activate him before the regular season, which isn’t a scenario worth envisioning. But if the Leafs run into injury issues with other goaltenders (and they have had many this season), then having Murray as the fourth option in goal is preferred rather than a prospect like Dennis Hildeby, who has been called up on several occasions yet never used.
Once the Leafs reach the playoffs, salary cap no longer becomes a factor in roster construction.
“He and Curits (Leafs goaltending coach Curtis Sanford) have begun to connect and build out a plan for him for on the ice.”
Murray joined the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2022 when they acquired him from the Ottawa Senators along with draft picks in exchange for future considerations. The Senators retained 25 percent of Murray’s $6.25 million salary cap hit in the deal. The goaltender will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0
Related
‘Obviously What He Felt Was Necessary To Do’: Maple Leafs’ John Tavares Speaks on Decision by Sheldon Keefe to Move Him to Third Line and Second Power-Play Unit
Timothy Liljegren’s Status Against Golden Knights ‘Up In The Air’, Maple Leafs Defenseman Day-to-Day With Injury
‘I’m Looking Forward To Helping This Team Out’: Joseph Woll Feels Good in Return From Conditioning Stint, When He Might Return to Maple Leafs Lineup
News from THN.com
Valeri Nichushkin Cleared to Practise with Avalanche During NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program Care
The Morning Take: Is Matt Rempe fighting every night good or bad for the NHL?
NHL Three Stars: Leafs’ Marner, Wild’s Kaprizov and Rangers’ Shesterkin Turn Up the Heat
News Related-
The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2023
-
Jordan Poole took time to showboat and got his shot blocked into the stratosphere
-
The Top Canadian REITs to Buy in November 2023
-
OpenAI’s board might have been dysfunctional–but they made the right choice. Their defeat shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest
-
Russia-Ukraine Drone Warfare Rages With Dozens Headed for Moscow, Amid Deadly Winter Storm
-
Trump tells appeals court that threats to judge and clerk in NY civil fraud trial do not justify gag order
-
Can Anyone Take Paxlovid for Covid? Doctors Explain.
-
Google this week will begin deleting inactive accounts. Here's how to save yours.
-
How John Tortorella's Culture Extends from the Philadelphia Flyers to the AHL Phantoms
-
Tri-Cities' hatcheries report best Coho return in years
-
Wild release Dean Evason of head coaching duties
-
Air New Zealand’s Cyber Monday Sale Has the 'Lowest Fares of 2023' to Auckland, Sydney, and More
-
NDP tells Liberals to sweeten the deal if pharmacare legislation is delayed
-
'1,000 contacts with a club': Tiger Woods breaks down his typical tournament prep to college kids in fascinating video