The Leafs would be wise to use this approach in goal to start the season
With hopes of keeping Jack Campbell dwindling, Leafs GM Dubas had to find an answer for the Leafs in goal and, thankfully, he found it pretty quickly. Dubas certainly made a splash to start the off-season, trading for Matt Murray at 25% retained and picked up a pair of draft picks for his troubles. After he had Murray in the bag, Dubas signing Ilya Samsonov on day one of free agency was definitely a welcome surprise for most Leaf fans. The only concern now is; who will be the number one guy?
The short answer is Matt Murray. The longer answer is neither has to be the clear cut number one starter right away. Murray has proven to be a solid goalie in the past - most notably, during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh.
Samsonov, however, has never really been given a shot to be a number one goalie, despite being a very high draft pick for a goaltender (22nd overall back in 2015). He was once very highly touted, but without an opportunity to shine in a consistent starting role in Washington, he could never really get situated as a bona-fide number one.
All of this to say that a 50/50 rotation is certainly doable until one goalie emerges as the clear starter. Murray and Samsonov are coming off of down years and are definitely due for rebounds - it'll just be a matter of who finds their stride quicker.
Matt Murray, 28, is coming off a season that didn't see him post great numbers, but they had been better than what the Sens had come to expect from him. Playing for a rebuilding Ottawa Senators team who has been a perennial bottom feeder may have had something to do with it. Murray finished the season with a .906% save percentage and a goals against average of 3.05. His record was 5-12-2 in 20 games played, so those aren't great numbers - especially for the two time Stanley Cup Champion. However, he did enjoy some success last season before his final two games tanked his numbers. Playing on a far superior defensive team in Toronto will certainly help him.
Ilya Samsonov, 25, is a tough player to really gauge. He was expected to be the heir apparent to Braden Holtby in 2020 but the sudden emergence of Vitek Vanecek brought that to a halt. Coming off a season that saw him post a .896% save percentage and a goals against average of 3.02, both being career lows, Samsonov will certainly have a chip on his shoulder to prove the Leafs right for picking him up and prove the Caps wrong for letting him go.
Both goalies are going to being playing for a better team this year, the Buds have amazing offence and a great defensive group which will help Murray and Samsonov find their games and bounce back to those solid goalies they once were.
If I'm Sheldon Keefe, I don't know if I'm ready to just give Matt Murray the net with a long runway. Perhaps the best strategy right out of the gate is to alternate starts until one goalie really begins to shine and just ride the hot hand all season, whoever that may be.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 7 | 502 ANSWERS The Leafs would be wise to use this approach in goal to start the season Who will finish the season as the Leafs' number one goalie heading into the playoffs? | ||
| Matt Murray | 151 | 30.1 % |
| Ilya Samsonov | 277 | 55.2 % |
| Neither | 74 | 14.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
