As the 2022-23 season got underway, it was logical to assume that the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending strategy was set to include Matt Murray as their No. 1 and Ilya Samsonov as their No. 2, with an open competition for the net throughout. However, that’s not quite how things have transpired thus far in Toronto.
Forced to the sidelines following an opening night loss at the hands of last year’s worst team, during which he only stopped 19 of 23 shots faced, there wasn’t much optimism surrounding Murray at that point. Meanwhile, Samsonov accomplished more than enough to illustrate his capabilities, through the increased workload he successfully managed in Murray’s absence.
Then, amid Samsonov gaining meaningful momentum, an injury of his own meant that the net would be open for the taking upon Murray’s return. Offering the two-time Stanley Cup champion an opportunity to flip the main characters within this narrative, accordingly.
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Though Samsonov is not yet cleared to play, when both he and Murray create a fully charged tandem in Toronto it will be on Sheldon Keefe to decide where each rank relative to the other. What may have once seemed like a no-brainer thanks to Samsonov’s rise early on in the campaign, will be anything but as a result of Murray’s recent resurgence.
Murray’s Stat Line Helping Maple Leafs Succeed
Since returning to Toronto’s lineup on Nov. 15, Murray has gone 2-0-1 and posted a 2.33 goals-against average (GAA), .933 save percentage (SV%), and 3.03 goals saved above expected (GSAx) throughout that span. A small sample size, but impressive nonetheless.
Having earned five of a possible six points for the Maple Leafs during that three-game stretch, his solid individual numbers support the fact that the 28-year-old’s presence has positively influenced the collective. Making it increasingly clear that Murray is poised for a much-needed turnaround in his career’s storyline, following the failure he faced with the Ottawa Senators through 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Goalies are an easy scapegoat, but what’s been going wrong in Ottawa of late stretches far beyond a struggling starter. Simply stated, despite unflattering results during his time as a Senator, Murray wasn’t to blame for the entire team’s shortcomings.
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