The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a victory in their Home Opener over the Washington Capitals on Thursday. In that game, Ilya Samsonov beat his former Caps mates as he starred in net for the Leafs for the first time.
It looks like Sammy could be getting more work in the near future as his goaltending battery mate Matt Murray injuried his groin during the team’s morning skate on Saturday. The Leafs play the Ottawa Senators later this evening.
Murray’s injury could put the Leafs in a bit of a pickle when it comes to their roster.
Some video on the situation pic.twitter.com/8sjpQ2H38r
— David Alter (@dalter) October 15, 2022
The only other goalies under NHL contract that the Leafs have on the roster are Erik Kallgren and Dennis Hildeby. Kallgren was hurt Friday night in an AHL game for the Toronto Marlies and Hildeby is in Sweden playing in the SHL for Farjestad BK. As reported by SI’s Mike Stephens, the Leafs already have 50 contracted players in the organization, meaning they can’t sign another goalie. Additionally, the Leafs have $0 in cap space.
Given that context, it’s unclear who will back up Samsonov against the Senators if Murray can’t play. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman gave three possible scenarios they could turn to.
- Option A: Murray’s groin injury is nothing serious or at least something he can play through. He will dress as the backup as normal in that case.
- Option B: The injury is serious enough to require long-term injured reserve. Kallgren’s injury was deemed non-serious so he would then be called up and serve as the backup.
- Option C: The injury is enough to keep him out of action but just short term. The Leafs would sign emergency backup Jett Alexander to a professional tryout agreement for the night. Kallgren would then join them as soon as tomorrow on an emergency basis.
Murray’s career has been plagued by injury for the past five seasons. He has had just one fully healthy season since debuting with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2015-16 campaign.
- 2015-16: Two playoff games missed with a head injury
- 2016-17: 19 combined regular season and playoff games missed with hand and lower-body injuries
- 2017-18: 16 games missed with a concussion, lower-body injury, and upper-body injury
- 2018-19: 11 games missed with a concussion, lower-body injury, and upper-body injury
- 2020-21: 16 games missed with a lower-body injury and an upper-body injury
- 2021-22: 38 games missed due to COVID, a non-COVID-related illness, and a neck injury
“Matt unfortunately in his time here, was injured all the time,” DJ Smith, Murray’s former coach in Ottawa, said Friday. “Take nothing away from him. He was just hurt all the time.”
Smith’s almost prophetic answer is something Toronto is addressing a day later. The puck drops between the two teams at 7 pm inside Scotiabank Arena.
Update (5:04 pm): Looks like it will be Option B.
The @MapleLeafs have placed G Matt Murray on long-term injured reserve. He is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks (adductor injury).
G Erik Källgren has been recalled from the @TorontoMarlies on an emergency basis.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 15, 2022
