Maple Leafs Goalie Matt Murray Is Not the Problem

When the Toronto Maple Leafs picked up goalie Matt Murray during the summer from the Ottawa Senators, there were critics. Tons of them. 

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At the time, it seemed to many as if the Maple Leafs were getting desperate and there were few cookies left in the goalie cookie jar. As well, part of the ire over the Murray trade was that it meant the end of the road for well-liked goalie Jack Campbell. Murray was in; Campbell was out.

As a Goalie, Murray Had Fallen on Hard Times

Murray was once considered as one of the NHL’s best goalie. However, the 28-year-old Murray had struggled over his last two seasons in Ottawa. Even when he was healthy, he seemed a shell of his former self.

The Maple Leafs did their due diligence was done to check out Murray’s medical status as part of the trade; and, obviously, Murray passed. That said, because hockey is a physically-demanding game, injuries are likely to come. However, Murray was healthy when he came to Toronto.

The organization’s hope was that the contextual factors – the Maple Leafs being the Maple Leafs and the Senators being the Senators – would allow Murray to achieve more success in the Blue & White than in the Black & Red.

The experienced and successful Maple Leafs were not the rebuilding Senators. Murray would get more defensive support from the Maple Leafs’ high-powered offense and solid team defense than he did in Ottawa. The only question was whether Murray had lost his game totally. Many believed he had.

Murray’s Season with the Maple Leafs Thus Far

During the offseason, Murray readied himself for the season. He came into camp and had a solid preseason. Things were going well. 

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In fact, after a preseason game when the Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 when head coach Sheldon Keefe was asked about Murray’s performance, he was effusive. 

Keefe said, “I thought he (Murray) was just terrific all night long. Even on the goal that went in, he made the save. It was the rebound … I just thought he was really, really good. He was the highlight of the game for me.”

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Then, in the regular-season opener against those same Canadiens, Montreal pulled out a surprise 4-3 victory. Murray wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t great either. He saved 19 of 23 shots on the…