In his first start since the end of the 2022-23 season, Matt Murray not only came away with the win but also a piece of hardware from his Maple Leafs teammates.

NHL journey-man and two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray finally made his way back to the big leagues after a year and a half hiatus due to injury. With Anthony Stolarz sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery, the Maple Leafs made the call to the minors and brought Murray back into the fold.

The 30-year-old netminder went 14-8-2 with a .903 SV% and a 3.01 GAA in his first season with the club back in 2022-23 before he was forced to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign due to injury. He signed a one-year deal over the summer to stick around and his hard work with the Toronto Marlies paid off.

There was a little bit of luck on Murray’s side for once tonight as he benefitted from two goals being called back by the referees. The first goal came in the opening stages of the first period, where the referees conferred after the fact and ruled there was a penalty that should’ve been called. The second goal came when the Leafs were up 5-3 and the Sabres were ruled to have interfered with the goaltender.

Nevertheless, Murray made 24 stops en route to his first win since the 23rd of March in 2023. For his efforts, Max Domi honoured Murray with the celebratory game belt, which left the goaltender extremely emotional.

 

Murray’s road back to the NHL was a gruelling one, but he earned the call for his efforts in the minors despite Dennis Hildeby being the Leafs’ first choice at the beginning of the season when Joseph Woll was placed on the IR.

He worked his tail off and posted a 4-1-2 record with a .931 SV% and a 1.85 GAA in a crowded crease that also included Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov. His leadership, veteran-presence, and history in the league probably played a major role in his return, especially factoring in how long Stolarz would be out for.

The Maple Leafs will have another back to back set to deal with next week when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on the 27th of December before welcoming the Washington Capitals on the 28th at the Scotiabank Arena. Expect Murray to get the call again in one of those games.