MATT MURRAY TRADE BREAKDOWN

NHL / Hockey

Written by Chase Howard

After weeks of speculation the Leafs have finally made a move to shore up their much-maligned goaltending. Leafs GM Kyle Dubas picked up two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray from the Ottawa Senators, alongside a 3rd and 7th round pick for future considerations. The Senators will retain 25% of Matt Murray’s salary in the deal. For the record, future considerations are exactly what they sound like: a future pick or player to be named later will complete this trade. Given that it is now all but guaranteed Jack Campbell leaves in free agency and with Petr Mrázek being traded the other day (woo) the Leafs were in desperate need of at least one if not two netminders.

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

It is well known this year, as is often the case, the goaltender market isn’t bustling with current stalwarts, but there are potentially fruitful risks. When there is risk people often go with the risk they know, Murray played for Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. On top of that, Leafs goalie evaluator and developer Jon Elkin has worked with Murray for many years, starting when he was only ten years old. While this makes the Murray deal certainly understandable, does that make it desirable?

There are good elements here for sure we're talking about the guy who has won two Stanley Cup championships, holds the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise record for playoff shutout streak (225:49) which included games five and six Stanley Cup shutouts, lastly Murray is only 28 years old with a good goalie size (6’4).

Yet there are troubling elements abound. Murray did not play up to the over 6 million dollar value he has attached to him, let alone the 4.6 the Leafs will now be paying him. Murray has failed to play thirty games in either of the last two seasons and when healthy has carried a sub 900 Save %. Worse yet if Murray falters in Toronto the Leafs will not be able recover any trade assets, as he will have negative value.

According to our Poll only 15% of you think Murray is the Leafs guy, while the rest want to know what Dubas is doing. Personally I don't love the move but I think it has decent upside. While certainly it is too much to ask for us to be jumping up and down with the addition of Murray, is it not reasonable for us to think he just might have some good hockey left in him?