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Until they get a REAL goalie as the backbone of the franchise I tend to agree because I believe "Defense wins Championships" and your Goalie is the captain and last line of defense and often needs to be MVP worthy.
My biggest fear extends to Matthews our true MVP, and if he is chasing playoff success, and this is Leafs management's high risk plan, then it better not fail, because then AM moving on and not signing on long-term increases in odds annually as his contract ends with endless playoff disappointments.
This is year #5 of the GM after inheriting a 105 point (then record setting team), and he is putting his faith in a contract/salary dump goalie in Murray, who played his way onto NHL waivers went unclaimed by 31 teams, and appeared in AHL games last year, all based on a familiarity in the OHL with the SOO, before GM, Coach and player were even NHL employed. Dubas even mentioned that past connection in his PC after the trade, This doesn't even factor in Murray missed 38 games last year to injury including the last 28 games of the season and all potential playoff games thereafter with a serious concussion, that would have made him unavailable during the NHL playoffs, and no use to playoff teams.
To make matters worse its a battle of Ontario Div arch rival Ottawa that is willing to retain salary, and toss in a couple of picks to make sure Murray stays in the Atlantic Div as they attempt to close the gap in their own div and battle for the same playoff spots, while they then run out an upgrade in net to Cam Talbot who just backstopped Minny to a 113 point season.
If Ottawa believed Murray was any good, and the answer to their own future success based on his own historical success years prior, then they would keep him themselves, and or at least attempt to trade him outside the Atlantic Div, and preferably even their own Conference as most often is the preferred outcome, so a former player can't come back to burn them. Is nobody else seeing and asking why? .. I can't help but think this has the potential to feel like a Trojan Horse strategy once played on city of Troy, where opposition feel their offering our Leafs a "Boat Anchor" to slow them down, and not a "Life Ring" to save them with Leafs accepting this so called gift horse unknowingly.
This seems like such a rick risk move on timing and potential fallout. That might even result in a new management team and entire franchise course correction. IMO
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Minnesota Wild
Ottawa Senators
