Maple Leafs close to trading for Stanley Cup-winning goalie, but is it enough?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are linked to acquiring a former Stanley Cup-winning goaltender.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again rebounding from a heartbreaking first-round exit, this time by the Tampa Bay Lightning. But this offseason, the Maple Leafs have to figure out their goaltending situation with Jack Campbell set to hit free agency. They reportedly have their eyes on a goalie via the trading block.

According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs have had discussions regarding trading with the Ottawa Senators for Matt Murray, the former two-time Stanley Cup champion. Dreger notes that talks between Toronto and Ottawa have been “back-and-forth” since Friday during the 2022 NHL Draft.

Does Matt Murray solve Maple Leafs goaltending situation?

Murray does bring the championship-winning pedigree, as he helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup back in 2016 and 2017. That, and he was the reason why the Penguins did not protect veteran Marc-Andre Fleury in the 2017 Expansion Draft, who was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Since the 2017 playoffs, Murray’s play has not been the same. That, and he dealt with a variety of injuries, the main area of concern being concussions. His tenure with the Penguins reached its end ahead of free agency in 2020, where he was traded to the Senators, where he signed a four-year, $25 million contract.

The injury concerns continued with Murray, as he missed the latter portion of the season due to a concussion.

Through his two seasons with the Senators, Murray recorded a .899 save percentage, a 3.23 goals allowed average, and a 15-25 record as a starter (45 starts in 47 games).

Could Murray be the goalie that puts the Maple Leafs over the top and helps them make it out of the first-round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004? That is unknown. While the Maple Leafs are a better team on paper than the Senators, Murray does not exactly fit the bill as Toronto’s solution in the net.

UPDATE: The Maple Leafs officially acquired Murray, along with a 2023 third-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Senators in exchange for future considerations. The Senators will be retaining 25-percent of Murray’s remaining salary.

After days of discussions, the Maple Leafs have Murray on their roster.