Matt Murray appears to be a part of the answer in Toronto and the proof is in the numbers
Goaltending has long been an issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs. So much so that when the Buds acquired both Frederik Andersen and Jack Campbell, their worth was greatly exaggerated, and they were viewed as solutions to the team's biggest problem rather than what they were; band-aids for a bullet wound.
When the Leafs brought in Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov, they accomplished two things. They brought in a guy who has actually been deep and won at the highest level and a highly-touted 25-year-old goaltender whose best days are undoubtedly ahead of him. They set themselves up for both the present and the future.
While most came into this season with concerns over the Leafs' 2022-23 goaltending tandem, I always viewed the Murray acquisition and the Samsonov signing as a resounding win. Right from the start. It's not because of Leaf goggles or passion or blind faith or anything of the sort. It's because they acquired a goaltender with a championship pedigree and another who was the top goaltender selected in the 2015 draft, who could also end up having a championship pedigree. Simply put, this time it just felt different.
Well, fast forward a month and a half and here we are with two goaltenders who, while they were both hurt at points, have posted winning records and who have looked quite dominant in the process. For Samsonov, he's put together a 6-2-0 record with a 2.23 GAA and a .921 SV%. For Murray, he put together a 5-1-1 record with a 2.44 GAA and a .927 SV%.
How about that? Matt Murray takes the league by storm, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, looking like the next elite goaltender in this league, but then is struck by tragedy and the death of his father, which throws a wrench into his plans. He is subsequently dealt to one of the worst teams in the NHL in Ottawa and appeared to have lost it. Then, by the grace of Kyle Dubas, he was rescued and placed back on another top team and, wouldn't ya know it, he re-discovers himself and currently sits 4th in the NHL in SV%, behind only Linus Ullmark (.935), Alexandar Georgiev (.933) and Ilya Sorokin (.933). It's crazy to think that one or two more good outings from Samsonov when he comes back could put him right into that mix as well.
Honestly, while Leafs fans have made it a habit of making "this year is different" their mantra, sooner or later, it's bound to be true. Last year, the team made some leaps, racking up a franchise best 115 points, with several players posting career years. This year, that entire core is back and now they've shown a willingness and a commitment to playing team defense - AND, they're actually receiving quality goaltending across the board. That includes from their 3rd string goaltender in Erik Kallgren, who has largely kept the team afloat while Samsonov and Murray were sidelined.
Ladies and gents, it's a great time to be a Leafs fan.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 29 | 344 ANSWERS Matt Murray appears to be a part of the answer in Toronto and the proof is in the numbers How would you grade Matt Murray through his first 7 starts? | ||
| A+ | 191 | 55.5 % |
| A-B | 135 | 39.2 % |
| C+ | 12 | 3.5 % |
| D-C | 6 | 1.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
