Keefe discusses whether or not the Leafs have assigned a 1 goaltender internally
When the Leafs made the decision to move on from goaltenders Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek in the offseason, it left a massive question mark in net for the 2022-2023 season. It didn't take them long to make good on filling those roles, as they signed Ilya Samsonov to a 1-year deal and acquired Matt Murray from the Sens. There was a lot of debate about whether the Leafs would be able to find success with these two goaltenders and that skepticism was understandable.
However, that was then, and now, as the Leafs get set to play their 30th game of the season. The discussion around goaltending is now shifting to how Murray/Samsonov are one of the best tandems in the league. While both have suffered injuries and missed time this season, when healthy, they have played excellent hockey for the Buds. As a fan, one has to wonder if the Leafs view one of Murray or Samsonov as the starter of the team, and Keefe addressed that question on Tuesday:
-Keefe on whether or not one goaltender will see more minutes than the other
Since the two netminders have played so well, it makes sense that they will continue to share the crease. In 10 games played, Murray has a 2.5GAA and .926SV%, while Samsonov has a 1.87GAA and .933SV%, also through 10 games. Both of their numbers are fantastic and well above the league average, and it makes sense to keep them both fresh and continue to build on their stellar seasons.
While the Leafs may not view either one of them as the "number one goalie" right now, they have plenty of time between now and the playoffs to make the decision for who starts game one. If Murray and Samsonov continue this level of play and remain healthy, that decision won't become any easier, but it's a great problem to have. We could even see a scenario in which both netminders see play in the postseason, which could certainly have its benefits - namely, keeping both guys relatively fresh and less likely to suffer a fatigue-related injury.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 13 | 302 ANSWERS Keefe discusses whether or not the Leafs have assigned a 1 goaltender internally Who do you think will be the starter for game one of the playoffs? | ||
| Matt Murray | 133 | 44 % |
| Ilya Samsonov | 79 | 26.2 % |
| Depends | 62 | 20.5 % |
| Don't Care | 28 | 9.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
