Matt Murray to play a larger role for the Leafs than anticipated in 2024-25
Matt Murray is confirmed to finally be healthy for the Maple Leafs and according to a report, he's looking to be much more than a 3rd string goalie in Toronto this season.
Carter Hutton and Nick Alberga spoke during the "Leafs Morning Take" podcast yesterday and talked about the all-important goaltending position for the Toronto Maple Leafs heading into the 2024-25 season.
While it is expected that Woll and Stolarz will create a 1A/1B tandem for most of the season, Murray finally being 100% healthy also poses an interesting situation.
While Murray has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, a healthy version of the 2-time Stanley Cup winner might be what the doctor ordered for the Maple Leafs. Woll has dealt with injuries in the past and Stolarz is coming off a season where he played a career-high 28 games, so it's not an overly experienced tandem to begin with. They will be given every opportunity to play and prove themselves, but should any issues arise - whether through injuries or inconsistent play - Murray may receive an opportunity to run with, much like we saw from Martin Jones last year before he eventually cooled off.
Hutton believes that there's a possibility or an outcome where Murray does end up seeing playing time next year, akin to Jones, who was signed as a depth piece in the summer of 2023 but ended up suiting up in 22 games last year and played relatively well for the most part.
Murray missed of all last year with injuries and only suited up in 26 games for the Leafs in 2022-23. He went 14-8-2 and finished with sub-par peripherals as he slumped to a 3.01 G.A.A. and a .903 SV% after a scintillating start to his tenure. After getting hurt in the season opener, Murray returned a month later and immediately went on a run, where he went 9-2-2 with a .925 SV% and a 2.31 G.A.A. Mixed in with another injury, Murray then finished the year going 5-5-0 in 12 games with a .881 SV% and a 3.33 G.A.A. heading into the playoffs.
It was a topsy-turvy start to his Leafs tenure and after being forced to miss the entire 2023-24 season, he became a forgotten name. However, it was reported that he was still present with the team, was seen in the locker room aplenty, and was a great veteran teammate. The Leafs brought him back on a 1-year deal worth just 875,000$, giving them a trio of competent netminders coming in at a low combined AAV of 4.141 million dollars.
Goaltending shouldn't be too much of a concern this year should all 3 netminders play to their potential. Woll is the future, Stolarz has been a consistent backup for years, and Murray has the experience and leadership required for a lengthy and gruelling season. Having 3 capable goaltenders is always a luxury in the modern game and a healthy Murray might be able to push the club over the hump.
Source for Matt Murray's statistics: Hockey-ReferenceMatt Murray
| POLL | ||
10 JUILLET | 582 ANSWERS Matt Murray to play a larger role for the Leafs than anticipated in 2024-25 How many starts will Matt Murray get in 2024-25? | ||
| 0-5 | 295 | 50.7 % |
| 10 | 187 | 32.1 % |
| 15-20 | 84 | 14.4 % |
| 20+ | 16 | 2.7 % |
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