Sportsnet is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Matt Murray has undergone successful bilateral hip surgery and is expected to miss between six and eight months. This likely means he will miss the entire 2023-24 NHL season. Murray was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in July 2022 along with a third-round pick in exchange for a seventh-round pick and future considerations. It was essentially a salary cap dump at the time by the Ottawa Senators, who retained over $1.5MM of Murray’s $6.25MM cap hit.
The former two-time Stanley Cup champion has fallen on hard times in recent years as his health has kept him out of the lineup for extended periods of time in each of the past five seasons. Murray hasn’t played more than 30 games in a season since the 2019-20 season when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. When he has been available to play, he hasn’t been able to match the levels of play that made him a Stanley Cup champion in 2016 and 2017. Murray hasn’t posted a goals-against average below 3.00 since 2019-20 and has seen his save percentage hover around .900 since 2018-19.
Murray has has struggles with his health for a long time now and one must wonder if he will be able to overcome his latest setback and get back into an NHL lineup. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native has never been able to capture the magic that he put on display early in his career and has seen his stock tumble to the point of being a cap dump last summer.
Murray appeared to be on the cusp of superstardom in 2017 when the Penguins elected to keep him over franchise icon Marc-Andre Fleury who was taken by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. The Penguins had signed Murray to a three-year extension at the time and thought they had an elite netminder that could lead them to more Stanley Cups. Unfortunately, Murray’s play flatlined and he was unseated as the starter by Tristan Jarry. He was then dealt to the Senators in 2020 and signed to an extension in a move that proved disastrous for Ottawa.
Concussion issues, hip surgery, and who know what other physical ailments have hit Murray. Matt, as a goalie, this can put a smile on your face during your rehab – whenever the Leafs are playing and either of their netminders knocks the net off, or the opposition does the same thing, we hope Ralphie will chime in with, “I think Matt Murray’s getting a penalty for this.” Then you can just say to your radio, “I’m already in the bin! Ha!”
I’m starting to feel bad for the guy. He’s beyond snakebitten.
Still a cap circumvention move, could have had this months ago, but instead it’s done so the minimum recovery time is the start of the playoffs. Unfortunate for him, could be done for his career.
Or maybe it is not a move to circumvent anything. Regardless, glad that you are on the case. Someone has to keep those evil GMs on their toes.
No need to be jerk about it. I aware I am speculating, but it seems, according to announcements made during the summer, that surgery was needed. How many players once that type of decision is made are forced to wait this long for a surgery date. Most I have seen, surgery is decided and within days they go under the knife. I am just commenting on the convenience that his minimum recovery time take us to the playoffs. If he had done it right away then, like say Colorado last year, they would had to be more cautious about spending his cap hit, now he waits and has his surgery right around to perfect time for Toronto.
hilarious take