Maple Leafs on the Verge of Announcing Major Changes in Goal, per Elliotte Friedman
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to have a goaltender back for the club for the first time in over a year.
Sportsnet Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman reports that Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray is expected to return for the Leafs, his first game with the team and in the NHL since 2023.
The move comes as starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz is out long term with a lower-body injury.
Murray last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2nd, 2023 against the Detroit Red Wings. Murray left the game for Toronto after colliding with Detroit's Lucas Raymond. Murray missed the entirety of the 2023-24 NHL season after undergoing hip surgery, limited to just three AHL games with a 1-2-0 record and a 4.03GAA and a .846sv%.
This season, Murray has played much stronger in eight AHL games with the Toronto Marlies, having a 4-1-2 record with a 1.85GAA and a .931sv% in that span.
A two-time NHL Stanley Cup Champion as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Murray spent five season with the Penguins before signing a four-year, $25M contract with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent.
Murray got through two seasons in Ottawa to mixed results before a trade to Toronto in the summer of 2022.
Murray had a 14-8-2 record in 26 games played with the Leafs in 2022-23, having a 3.01GAA and a .903sv% in that time as the backup netminder behind Ilya Samsonov in Toronto.
After his contract ended, Murray re-signed with Toronto on a one-year contract for $875k in 2024-25.
This is the first NHL opportunity for Murray in Toronto in over a year and a half, the Leafs having lost Stolarz and not having gotten security in the backup role with youngster Hildeby, who had a disappointing 3.68GAA and .875sv%, a sign of more development time needed.
The calling up of Murray gives Hildeby a greater chance at sharing starts alongside fellow youngster Artur Akhtyamov.
