BUFFALO – Matt Murray will play his first NHL game since April 2, 2023, Friday, when he keeps the cage for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Buffalo Sabers (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNO).
Murray replaced Ilya Samsonov in a 5-2 Maple Leafs loss to the Detroit Red Wings 629 days ago.
Hip surgery suffered in October 2023 left him sidelined for almost the entire 2023-24 campaign. He returned to the game at the end of the campaign, for three games in the uniform of the Toronto Marlies in the American League (AHL).
Murray was called up from the Marlies on Friday morning. This season, he has a 4-1-2 record, an average of 1.85 goals allowed per game and an efficiency rate of .931 with the Maple Leafs affiliate.
“He did well in the AHL, and we thought we could have him play with us tonight,” summarized Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. “With Anthony Stolarz's injury, it's good to bring back a veteran. Matt was on the sidelines for a long time, but now he's healthy. »
The 30-year-old veteran, who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2017, 2018), has a serious injury history. He has never played more than 38 games in a single season since 2018-19, when he played with the Maple Leafs, Penguins and Ottawa Senators.
“He still has gas in the tank. He wants to continue playing, assured Berube. He has already achieved the ultimate achievement twice, but he still has the desire to win. He wants to regain his former form. »
Forward Max Pacioretty knows something about long absences. He played in just five games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23 and was limited to 47 games with the Washington Capitals the following season.
“It’s difficult for the mind,” Pacioretty said. It's hard to remember what you've already accomplished because everything in this league is focused on the present. But you just have to take it one day at a time. You never know when your career will be over, so you shouldn't take anything for granted. He probably thought that at some point it was over. I already thought about that too. »
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