New Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray is eager to prove his worth in his new surroundings.
The Maple Leafs acquired the two-time Stanley Cup champion from the Ottawa Senators on Monday and will likely make him their No. 1 goalie, with Jack Campbell expected to depart in free agency.
“I’m extremely motivated. I think I have a lot to prove,” Murray said Tuesday, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
Murray joined the Senators prior to the 2020-21 season, but his tenure in Canada’s capital didn’t go to plan. He was often injured and only managed an .899 save percentage in 47 appearances. Ottawa retained 25% of his remaining salary in the trade.
Toronto is gambling on a bounce back from the 28-year-old, who looked destined for superstardom after helping the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back titles in his first two seasons with the team. Murray hopes his championship pedigree can help the Leafs, who’ve lost in the opening round of the postseason six years in a row.
“A huge thing that those Cup runs taught me was it’s all about the day-to-day process,” Murray said, according to The Leafs Nation’s David Alter. “The end result is just exactly that. It’s the end result of a continuous, day-to-day endeavor. … That’s the approach I’ve always taken, and that’s the approach I intend to take once again to try and push myself.”
Murray is also excited to suit up for the franchise he rooted for as a kid.
“It was definitely my favorite childhood team,” Murray said, per Fox. “It was my dad’s favorite team. We used to watch games together. So just being able to put on that jersey for the first time, I think, is going to be something really special for me.”
The Maple Leafs traded Petr Mrazek at the draft and will likely seek another netminder to tandem with Murray when free agency opens Wednesday.
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