5 Toronto Maple Leafs That Won’t Be Back Next Season

Matt Murray

Finally, there’s the forgotten one in veteran goaltender Matt Murray.

After being acquired by the Leafs from the Ottawa Senators back during the 2022 offseason, Murray was expected to form a strong tandem with Samsonov in the crease to help lead the team to potential Stanley Cup success.

After all, Murray was proven to a be a winner from his two Cups that he had won as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

However, things certainly did not go to plan during the 2022-23 NHL season as he was once again plagued by injuries over the course of the year. Murray was foiled by a groin injury after making just one start, and later missed another significant stretch in 2023 due to an ankle injury.

As a result, he struggled to a 3.01 GAA and .903 save percentage in just 26 games played. He did somehow manage to post a respectable 14-8-2 record nonetheless. (All stats from NHL.com and naturalstattrick.com)

Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, bad luck would catch up to Murray once again as he had to undergo bilateral hip surgery that had put him out for the majority of the year as a result.

Despite still being just 29 years old, the wear and tear on his body has been put to the extreme limit in recent years with his constant battle with injuries.

Therefore, even if Murray is willing to come back with a minimum-based salary, the Leafs not likely to risk their chances on someone that may be injury-prone. As a result, they will surely move on from Murray for the coming season as they look for the perfect goaltending partner for Woll going forward.