(Toronto) Matt Murray is very happy to get a new opportunity.
Posted at 4:03 p.m.
He also knows there are a lot of skeptics among his new team’s supporters.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired the goaltender from the Ottawa Senators on Monday along with a third-round pick in the 2023 draft and another seventh-round conditional in the 2024 auction, in return for future considerations.
Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas’ move to acquire the two-time Stanley Cup champion is a bold move as the Toronto squad desperately tries to make it past the first round of the playoffs — and maybe even go further.
Despite excellent career statistics, Murray’s performance has plummeted in the last three campaigns, including the two most recent in the Canadian federal capital, due to his erratic play and numerous injuries.
Jack Campbell, the keeperoh 1 of the Leafs in 2021-22, looks set to test the free agent market, and Dubas traded goaltender Petr Mrazek to the Chicago Blackhawks to free up some space under the salary cap so he could accommodate Murray. .
The Leafs may be tempted to get another goaltender on the free agent market on Wednesday to back up Murray, who met with media by video conference Tuesday.
But since he’ll earn about $4.69 million over the next two seasons — the Senators will pay 25% of his $6.25 million average annual salary — we can already label Murray as the #1 goaltender.oh 1 of the Leafs.
“I’m extremely motivated,” he said. I have a lot to prove”.