Injury Report: Matt Murray is day-to-day - Head Injury

[ULF_55]

With goalies the best ability is availability.

Last year the Leafs got 20 starts and 12 wins from the often injured Mrazek for $3.8 mil cap usage, and so far this season Leafs have gotten 19 starts and 11 wins from Murray for a slightly higher price point $4.697 mil.

So close to a break-even team record return to this point in time, and although nobody knows when Murray will be back perhaps with 30 games left in the season Leafs can get another 10 starts and perhaps squeeze another 5-6 more wins. , but that is strictly guess work and wishful thinking.

Leafs took on a contract dump of an often injured goalie and he is living up to his reputation coming in as advertised and can't be relied on this year either due to injuries.

Good news is last year Joseph Woll was asked to step in and he provided 4 starts and 3 wins last year and will likely get an opportunity now to build or repeat on that. Maybe he performs well the Leafs put Murray on ice for the rest of the regular season and see if they can get anything out of him come playoff time. Woll may be the Leafs goalie of the future and we get a chance now to see what he can do.

Yep.

Murray isn't a big deal.

If he's healthy he'll play if not, they'll use someone else.

Obviously, Leafs didn't pay anything for him. Senators paid the Leafs to take him.

 

[Burnie97]

Murray will be fine. Sure he is injury prone to a point but 1 year left after this at his price... that's not going to cost a 1st. I have no problem eating crow later.

He could still come back and play a bunch of games near the end of the season and if he does some team might take a chance on him for 1 season.

This won't be well liked I'm sure but it's because I'm rooting for the guy.

Sammy has been pretty damn good overall but I'd love to see them both go into the playoffs healthy and compete. Not sure why everyone wouldn't want that or hope for it.

They don't have the picks and prospects to waste this year on a goalie. It's Sammy and Woll then for now... but I think Murray will be back no problem. Give him the rest.

 

[Mess]

Yep.

Murray isn't a big deal.

If he's healthy he'll play if not, they'll use someone else.

Obviously, Leafs didn't pay anything for him. Senators paid the Leafs to take him.

You get what you pay for, and this was a contract dump with a long injury history, so nobody should complain he is injured and unavailable. He only played 20 games last year and so expectations were low heading in.

So this was expected, and Leafs signing of Samsonov and others in the organization already must of been plan B in case we end up here.

Hopefully Woll can provide some reliable goaltending with his expected starts. Looking forward to see what he can do.

Erik Kallgren losing 6 of his 10 starts doesn't look like the answer to replace Murray when injured.

 

[Stephen]

The same Ottawa fans that made fun of us for getting Murray instead of Talbot?

Appears they are both unreliable.

 

[Marmoset]

You get what you pay for, and this was a contract dump with a long injury history, so nobody should complain he is injured and unavailable. He only played 20 games last year and so expectations were low heading in.

So this was expected, and Leafs signing of Samsonov and others in the organization already must of been plan B in case we end up here.

Hopefully Woll can provide some reliable goaltending with his expected starts. Looking forward to see what he can do.

Erik Kallgren losing 6 of his 10 starts doesn't look like the answer to replace Murray when injured.

Over the summer many people, fans and media, commented that Dubas had staked his future on some very questionable goaltending. That's still the case today. If the theory was that hopefully one of the two works out, he may have got that, and Murray is the one that has not.

As you say hopefully Woll can do a solid job. It would be nice for the Leafs to actually successfully develop a goaltender for a change. I know luck plays a role (e.g. Ian Scott was very promising) but it's crazy how poor they've been across many different administrations.

 

[Ciao]

Is anybody really comfortable with the prospect of going into the playoffs with Woll and Samsonov.

It's a very real possibility.

In his presser today Dubas specifically said he was not looking for a goalie. Now that may be true, but if memory serves me correctly he said something similar last year and it leaked out later that he tried to acquire Fleury.

I can't see how anyone could be happy with the goaltending situation right now.

Garrett Sparks was going to be the goalie of the future too one time. The next Vezina winner to take it's to the promised land. Is it normal for a GM to have three different starting goaltenders in five years?

I don't think it is.

You're dreaming if you think anyone besides yourself saw Garrett Sparks as the next Vezina winner.

Prone to exaggeration?

 

[Al14]

Why are people using this as some diss at the GM? If an injured player can go on IR, they go on IR. This just means they're giving him all the time off he needs.

I expect he'll still be back well before the playoffs, and now we get to see if any of our depth goalies can hack in in the NHL.

No problem with this.

Because said GM traded for a very injury prone player from a hated rival. He also didn't get enough payment back for helping said rival by taking their injury prone player's awful cap hit off their books.

Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Al14]

Yep.

Murray isn't a big deal.

If he's healthy he'll play if not, they'll use someone else.

Obviously, Leafs didn't pay anything for him. Senators paid the Leafs to take him.

The Sens DID NOT pay nearly enough! Dubas should have demanded a 1st round draft pick or NO DEAL!

 

[Racer88]

Yep.

Murray isn't a big deal.

If he's healthy he'll play if not, they'll use someone else.

Obviously, Leafs didn't pay anything for him. Senators paid the Leafs to take him.

True we didn’t pay anything for hime but it also means that yet again we didn’t get better goaltending.
the only saving grace is Sammy has been ok but can he carry us to the promised land is a massive question

 

[BertCorbeau]

TBH I do wonder, given the Leafs' position in the standings, how much of this is to get Murray healthy for the playoffs while giving Woll an opportunity to showcase himself in the NHL.

The Leafs could be playing the long-game given their position in the standings.... Seems like a lot fo things are lining up: Leafs comfortable in the standings, Woll is having an outstanding AHL season, Murray is banged up and injury prone, trade deadline in a few weeks away....

 

[mikeyz]

Murray will be fine. Sure he is injury prone to a point but 1 year left after this at his price... that's not going to cost a 1st. I have no problem eating crow later.

He could still come back and play a bunch of games near the end of the season and if he does some team might take a chance on him for 1 season.

This won't be well liked I'm sure but it's because I'm rooting for the guy.

Sammy has been pretty damn good overall but I'd love to see them both go into the playoffs healthy and compete. Not sure why everyone wouldn't want that or hope for it.

They don't have the picks and prospects to waste this year on a goalie. It's Sammy and Woll then for now... but I think Murray will be back no problem. Give him the rest.

Dude. He's done. Lol.

Because said GM traded for a very injury prone player from a hated rival. He also didn't get enough payment back for helping said rival by taking their injury prone player's awful cap hit off their books.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Also, he seemingly had his mind made up about Murray for months.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

The reigning cup winner went through Georgiev, Kuemper, Francouz, Grubauer in the last 3 years. Boston went from Rask to 2 years of various platoon combinations with Halak/Swayman/Ullmark/Rask to Ullmark looking like a Vezina candidate. Carolina’s gone through Raanta, Mrazek, Andersen, Kochetkov in a 3 or 4 year window.

Other than Tampa what serious contenders have had 5+ years of stability in net recently? Seems like all the recent long-term goalie deals either look like massive mistakes or they’re wasting away on bubble teams. It’s basically just Vasilievski and maybe Shesterkin looking like long term options on contenders.

Thank you for the response.

The reigning cup winner went through Georgiev, Kuemper, Francouz, Grubauer in the last 3 years. Boston went from Rask to 2 years of various platoon combinations with Halak/Swayman/Ullmark/Rask to Ullmark looking like a Vezina candidate. Carolina’s gone through Raanta, Mrazek, Andersen, Kochetkov in a 3 or 4 year window.

Other than Tampa what serious contenders have had 5+ years of stability in net recently? Seems like all the recent long-term goalie deals either look like massive mistakes or they’re wasting away on bubble teams. It’s basically just Vasilievski and maybe Shesterkin looking like long term options on contenders.

Thank you for the response.

I've always felt stability in net was a key cog to bring successful, but maybe I'm wrong.

Reading his presser a little more closely, his exact words were:. "Whatever way we can improve the team, we would like to do that with the exception of our goaltending."

He doesn't appear to be too interested in finding an upgrade in net even if one were available.

 

[ULF_55]

Who knows Woll might be the best of them all?

The other thing with Woll is his age.
He isn't a kid.
Injuries have curtailed his career not ability.

And if he has a bad game don't emotionally jump off a cliff!

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Dude. He's done. Lol.


Also, he seemingly had his mind made up about Murray for months.

Some of you have had your mind made up on Murray since the summer (for the record I hated the trade and Murray at the time) and kept quiet while he was doing well, and the second he falters at all you guys start shrieking like a bunch of howler monkey's with half the brain power.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Who knows Woll might be the best of them all?

The other thing with Woll is his age.
He isn't a kid.
Injuries have curtailed his career not ability.

And if he has a bad game don't emotionally jump off a cliff!

He bess not have a bad game!
I'll be scrutinizing even the warm-ups!

 

[All Mod Cons]

TBH I do wonder, given the Leafs' position in the standings, how much of this is to get Murray healthy for the playoffs while giving Woll an opportunity to showcase himself in the NHL.

The Leafs could be playing the long-game given their position in the standings.... Seems like a lot fo things are lining up: Leafs comfortable in the standings, Woll is having an outstanding AHL season, Murray is banged up and injury prone, trade deadline in a few weeks away....

In my opinion, there's nothing too much to dig into as much as we'd all love to. I just think an always injured goalie is injured. Nothing more than that.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I said at the same time.

Yes, Murray and Samsonov have both been healthy at the same time for more than just a few games.

He doesn't appear to be too interested in finding an upgrade in net even if one were available.

There isn't an upgrade available anyway. If there was, maybe it would be a consideration, but not many goalies out there that would be a meaningful upgrade, and none are available.

With goalies the best ability is availability.

Being available to provide bad goaltending is not good. The most important thing for a goalie is to bring a positive impact when they play.

Last year the Leafs got 20 starts and 12 wins from the often injured Mrazek for $3.8 mil cap usage, and so far this season Leafs have gotten 19 starts and 11 wins from Murray for a slightly higher price point $4.697 mil.

Wins are not goalie stats. They are team stats. Mrazek got wins last year because we were outscoring his mistakes. Mrazek last year was -11.6 GSAx. Murray this year is +4.8 GSAx. That's much, much better.

 

[Leaf Fans]

The same Ottawa fans that made fun of us for getting Murray instead of Talbot?

Yup, those ones.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Yup, those ones.

Murray looked ok at practice.

 

[notbias]

I think this is just to give him more time and give Woll a look.

He is currently on the ice, so can't be too injured.

Ottawa fans…

View attachment 647704

I'm sure they are more worried about Talbot's health currently than their former goalie's.

 

[Nineteen67]

TBH I do wonder, given the Leafs' position in the standings, how much of this is to get Murray healthy for the playoffs while giving Woll an opportunity to showcase himself in the NHL.

The Leafs could be playing the long-game given their position in the standings.... Seems like a lot fo things are lining up: Leafs comfortable in the standings, Woll is having an outstanding AHL season, Murray is banged up and injury prone, trade deadline in a few weeks away....

They should be resting a few more guys throughout the remaining two months. A few should never see the airport in Feb and March.

 

[WillyC]

I would love to see Woll steal the net.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Some of you have had your mind made up on Murray since the summer (for the record I hated the trade and Murray at the time) and kept quiet while he was doing well, and the second he falters at all you guys start shrieking like a bunch of howler monkey's with half the brain power.

Ya really. It's just opportunism. The guy has an 11-5-2 record with a .911sv%. and people are acting like he's a AHL goalie after a small stretch of subpar play. In his 19 games this season, he's only had 7 games where he gave up 3 or more goals.

We all knew his health was going to be an issue but as long as Samsonov keeps up his play and Woll can step in and give us at least .900sv% or more in his absence, I don't see the issue. As long as he's healthy for playoffs that's all I really care about. The guy has a history of strong number in playoffs. Even if he doesn't end up being our starter come playoffs, as long as he plays well in relief, what more can you ask for?

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Yes, Murray and Samsonov have both been healthy at the same time for more than just a few games.

There isn't an upgrade available anyway. If there was, maybe it would be a consideration, but not many goalies out there that would be a meaningful upgrade, and none are available.

Being available to provide bad goaltending is not good. The most important thing for a goalie is to bring a positive impact when they play.

Wins are not goalie stats. They are team stats. Mrazek got wins last year because we were outscoring his mistakes. Mrazek last year was -11.6 GSAx. Murray this year is +4.8 GSAx. That's much, much better.

Saros is rumored to be available.

I dont think it's worth the assets to go out and get another goalie though. I don't think goaltending is our biggest worry right now. I'm more worried about our depth scoring.

 

[Captain34]

If you believe Dubas, he was very clear in his press conference 2 days ago that he will not be looking at goalie options this trade deadline. Perhaps Saros is an offseason move. I love Saros but am concerned about his size and injury history.