Toronto Maple Leafs' Murray has been way too good for the AHL
When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for Matt Murray back in the summer of 2022, they were hoping that the then-28-year-old goalie would be able to find his way back to the stardom he’d found at the start of his pro hockey career.
In his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Murray stormed onto the scene, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. But after a series of injuries and a trade to the Ottawa Senators, Murray was definitely a diminished asset when Toronto made the move for him.
Facing more injury woes, Murray’s only played 28 games at the NHL level for Toronto since the trade, and despite signing a second contract in Toronto, hasn’t exactly performed to expectations.
But some two and a half years after initially joining the Leafs organization, Murray’s finally found his star potential again at age 30, though there’s just one catch: he’s doing it in the AHL.
In 15 games this season with the Toronto Marlies, Murray has a great case as the league’s best netminder.
His save percentage of .934 trails only Yaroslav Askarov’s at .938. But how Murray has been doing it might be even more impressive. He’s yet to allow more than three goals in a single game this season, giving the Marlies a decent shot to win pretty much every time he’s stepped out on the ice. His goals against average of 1.68 is the league’s best, with Askarov and Providence’s Michael DiPietro being the only other goalies in the league to have a mark below two per game.
That’s translated to an 8-4-2 record in his starts, and as of mid-January, he might be hitting his best stretch of the season right now.
He’s won each of his last four starts and has allowed just three total goals over those four contests.
One thing is clear: he’s probably too good for the AHL, and Toronto has recognized that.
The Leafs rewarded Murray with a call-up to the NHL on Thursday, though with a limited schedule for the team with just two games over the next eight days, it’s not clear if he’ll get into any action.
Of course, Murray would love it if his success translated to the NHL level, and he’s surely not playing at the level of hockey he grew accustomed to.
But if the Leafs do require his services again at some point this season, Murray’s done just about everything he can to earn that shot, should they need the insurance.
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