Leafs acquire Matt Murray [25% retained]

[L K]

How about M&M?

As in claims it melts in your mouth but not your hands but really does exactly that and we are going to be underwhelmingly disappointed by this acquisition.  I'm completely content to be proven wrong come the season but I think this is going to blow up horribly if Matt Murray is our starting goaltender.

I expected Dubas to get creative but I'm really not thrilled that we are hoping for rebounds from a guy who even at 50% retained isn't exactly cheap.

[herman]

Jack Campbell: 30, we like him, really good when healthy, can't stay healthy, going to be expensive with term
Petr Mrazek: 30, really good when healthy, can't stay healthy, was expensive for his role as backup
Matt Murray: 28, really good when healthy, can't stay healthy, is expensive unless there is double retention, has Cup wins awhile ago backstopping a d-corps that headlined Ron Hainsey

Let's also add:
Freddie Andersen: 32, really steady when healthy, couldn't stay healthy, expensive

Joseph Woll: 23, shown flashes of good when healthy, hasn't been healthy
Ian Scott: 23, show flashes of good when healthy, hasn't been healthy

Michael Hutchinson: 32, not good, generally healthy

[Joe]

I'm kind of with LK on this. Obviously as a leafs fan I want this to work but almost every aspect of this looks like Mrazek 2.0.

But I will not change my mind that 5 years at almost any significant amount is nuts for Campbell.

[CarltonTheBear]

There's scenarios where we get Matt Murray and I'm content with our goaltending and scenarios where we get him and I'm not. We need retention, we need an asset coming back our way, and most importantly we need another capable goalie lined up to platoon with him. If we check those boxes I think we'll have done ok. I'd still have preferred a Campbell or Kuemper signing but if another team is willing to pay them more then there's not much to be done there.

If we get him for 50% retained but don't get a sweetener attached and Kallgren and Woll are battling for the back-up spot in training camp then I'll definitely think we should have looked at other options.

[Nik]

There's scenarios where we get Matt Murray and I'm content with our goaltending and scenarios where we get him and I'm not. We need retention, we need an asset coming back our way, and most importantly we need another capable goalie lined up to platoon with him. If we check those boxes I think we'll have done ok. I'd still have preferred a Campbell or Kuemper signing but if another team is willing to pay them more then there's not much to be done there.

That's effectively my perspective on it. I think the ideal situation would be signing Campbell to a team friendly deal and then going out and looking for a quality-ish second option but even in that scenario how would we grade our goaltending? There's obviously a difference between the best option and worst but I think people are slightly exaggerating the spread between them. Another year of hoping Campbell will be good enough while signed to a big time contract isn't exactly Potvin-Puppa.

[Arn]

There's scenarios where we get Matt Murray and I'm content with our goaltending and scenarios where we get him and I'm not. We need retention, we need an asset coming back our way, and most importantly we need another capable goalie lined up to platoon with him. If we check those boxes I think we'll have done ok. I'd still have preferred a Campbell or Kuemper signing but if another team is willing to pay them more then there's not much to be done there.

If we get him for 50% retained but don't get a sweetener attached and Kallgren and Woll are battling for the back-up spot in training camp then I'll definitely think we should have looked at other options.

Didn't realise we had an actual thread on this but yes, I lean Murray if the finances of the deal we get him on allows us to get someone like Riemer in as 1B

[CarltonTheBear]

I also think the idea that having bad goaltending would be catastrophic to the Leafs this season is a bit off. Last season they had the 22nd best save percentage in the league (27th at 5-on-5) and still finished with 115 points. Mrazek and Kallgren were two of the worst goalies in the league and they still had winning records of 12-6 and 8-4-1 respectively.

There was almost a 3-month stretch of time (starting from when Campbell's play started to decline in early January to when he returned from injury in early April) where the Leafs save percentage ranked 30th in all situations and 32nd in 5-on-5 save percentage and the team somehow still managed a 21-11-3 record (105 point pace).

Like yeah improving the goaltending would be nice but matching last seasons numbers (0.899 Sv%) isn't really that high of a bar to reach.

[Peter D.]

If the Leafs were to acquire him, just like at the time when the Sens did, I think it had the potential to turn out quite well if Murray finds his way again as he did when he was a Cup winner with the Penguins.  He's still young, and the talent surely still has to be there somewhere. 

But if Murray is considered the #1 option, especially if Campbell or Kuemper (or any other quality, #1ish type goalie) aren't around to insulate him, then Dubas is certainly betting on a lot of things to go right, which could turn disastrous.  Will a bad Murray keep the Leafs from making the playoffs?  No...they're that good they can get by.  Would he be the guy to help lead them over the hump?  I sure as heck wouldn't take my chances banking on that. 

[Joe]

I know it's not really the same thing at all, but when the leafs signed belfour, the consensus was he was washed up and it was a terrible signing. He ended up giving the leafs the 2 best years of goaltending I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Granted Belfour was significantly older and really only had 1 down year, but I can dream can't I?

[Peter D.]

I know it's not really the same thing at all, but when the leafs signed belfour, the consensus was he was washed up and it was a terrible signing. He ended up giving the leafs the 2 best years of goaltending I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Granted Belfour was significantly older and really only had 1 down year, but I can dream can't I?

One can certainly dream.

I'm hopeful your dream of him being like Belfour is correct, instead of my nightmare of him being like Raycroft.  :-X

[Zee]

I know it's not really the same thing at all, but when the leafs signed belfour, the consensus was he was washed up and it was a terrible signing. He ended up giving the leafs the 2 best years of goaltending I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Granted Belfour was significantly older and really only had 1 down year, but I can dream can't I?

Murray is the next Belfour confirmed. Any issues please take them up with Iafrate.

[Deebo]

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/1546621492116471809

[herman]

Sounds like someone on the Oilers loves talking

[Bullfrog]

I'm not really too emotional about it one way or the other, especially given CtBs point about how well the Leafs managed with mediocre goaltending. But, if it's down to 2 or 3 more-or-less equivalent guys with pros and cons, might as well go with the Thunder Bay boy.  8)

[lamajama]

I didn't see this particular thread but I'll repost what I said....

I've disagreed with the Leaf's moves over the years but NEVER felt that they were screwing up THIS bad.

I keep thinking this is an elaborate prank.

Like watching a train wreck in slow motion.