The Toronto Maple Leafs Have the Best 3rd String Goalie Possible in Matt Murray
The Toronto Maple Leafs are replacing one of the worst goalies with one with at least some upside
The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending situation leaves a lot to be desired.
The Toronto Maple Leafs needed to finally pair Auston Matthews with one of the best goalies in the world, but that didn't work out as Jacob Markstrom went to the Devils and LInus Ullmark went to the Senators, while Jusse Saros re-signed with the Nashville Predators.
So instead, they decided to hand the keys to Joseph Woll and back him up with Anthony Stolarz.
It's a bet I don't like because Woll is just too injury prone, but the Leafs do have some insurance by having the best 3rd goalie it is possible to have.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Have the Best 3rd String Goalie Possible in Matt Murray
Martin Jones wasn't ever a very good starting goalie and only terrible mismanagement saw him starting games for the Leafs last year.
It was clear from training camp that the Leafs should have upgraded on Ilya Samsonov last year, but they didn't and that led to Martin Jones starting a ridiculous 22 games.
Brad Treliving owes the team and it's fans a major apology for letting a 3rd stringer start 22 times and forcing the team to start the playoffs on the road. Sure, Jones had a decent run just after New Years when the Leafs played the Garbage Circuit, but he struggled against real teams.
Jones finished with a pedestrian .902 save percentage, and as bad as that is, it was the first time in half a decade he finished a season with over .900. Jones is easily one of the worst goalies still playing in the NHL. (all stats hockeydb.com).
The only good thing about him is that he's so bad no other team would claim him, which is a problem NHL teams have when it comes to trying to have a 3rd goalie on their team.
Which brings me to Matt Murray. Murray is just 30 years-old, and is younger than Stolarz. He has 2 Stanley Cups and if he's healthy is possibly one of the best goalies in the world.
However, we don't know for sure because he's never healthy. You have to go all the way back to 2018-19 to find a season where he played over 40 games.
What he does have is 2 Stanley Cups and a career .910 save percentage. Murray is incredibly talented and if he's healthy might just be the best goalie on the Leafs roster.
Not only is he far and away the best 3rd string goalie in the NHL, but since he's super injury prone, it's unlikely anyone will claim him off waivers.
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I can easily see a situation where Woll goes down with injury and Murray wins the crease. But, even if that doesn't happen, he is a massive upgrade from Martin Jones.