Veteran goaltender Matt Murray, a player known for his championship pedigree from his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, recently embarked on a new journey, signing a one-year contract worth $1 million with the Seattle Kraken when the NHL free agency period commenced on July 1st.
The move to the Pacific Northwest brings a fresh start for the netminder, who openly discussed his decision and offered some candid reflections on his career, including his recent past with the Toronto Maple Leafs, during a recent podcast appearance. For Murray, the choice to join the Kraken was significantly influenced by familiar faces within the organization.
“There are a lot of things that attracted me out there,” Murray commented, highlighting the human element as the primary draw. He noted existing relationships with figures like Jason Botterill, with whom he shared two Stanley Cup victories during Botterill`s tenure as assistant general manager in Pittsburgh. He also mentioned familiarity with Lane Lambert and the team`s new goalie coach, Colin Zulianello.
Interestingly, Murray dedicated a significant portion of his discussion to his time in Toronto, a period marked by both high expectations and injury setbacks. Despite the on-ice challenges, Murray holds a deep personal affection for the Maple Leafs organization. “There is a special place in my heart for the Toronto Maple Leafs,” he stated, revealing a connection rooted in family history. He shared that the Leafs were his father`s favorite team and that attending a Leafs game was his very first NHL experience.
Wearing the Maple Leaf jersey, Murray explained, felt like “the honour of a lifetime.” He reiterated the strong emotional connection tied to his family`s history with the team, emphasizing, “it had a special, special place in my heart just from family history – I enjoyed every second; I absolutely loved it.” It`s a perspective that highlights the personal significance of the jersey, sometimes a stark contrast to the demanding public scrutiny faced by players in Toronto.
Beyond his personal transition, Murray also offered some rather insightful, if perhaps slightly pointed, observations on the current state of goaltending development in hockey. He believes there`s a noticeable lack of quality netminders emerging today, and his theory is surprisingly straightforward: perhaps, he muses, “it`s not as cool to be a goalie as it once was.”
He elaborated on this, suggesting that the position once held a certain allure that incentivized young players. Now, between the intense pressure, the often disproportionate blame placed upon goaltenders, and a perceived shift in technique, the position might appear less appealing. Murray described modern goalies as sometimes looking “a little bit cookie-cutter,” suggesting the game has become excessively technical. He feels this technical focus may have led goalies to lose “a little bit of their athleticism,” contributing to a visual uniformity and making the position look, in his estimation, less enjoyable than it used to be.
Amidst his broader critique of the modern goaltending landscape, Murray took time to specifically praise a former Maple Leafs teammate: Joseph Woll. Murray expressed genuine affection for Woll, noting, “I love Joe; I loved all the time that I spent with him.”
He attributes Woll`s effectiveness and resilience to his mindset. “I think that`s one of the things that makes Joe so mentally resilient is that he has a very wide perspective on life,” Murray observed. He believes that having a broader view of the world better equips a goaltender to handle the intense pressure inherent in the position. Murray`s parting words on Woll were a strong endorsement: “I’ll miss sitting next to him, but in Toronto, they got a real keeper there in my opinion.”
Murray spent three seasons affiliated with the Maple Leafs organization, though injuries limited his appearances, particularly last season where he started just two games, posting a 3.54 goals-against average and a .879 save percentage. He now joins a Seattle Kraken goaltending group that includes Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord, bringing his veteran presence and unique perspective to the Pacific Division club.
Ellis Thorne 
Percy Harlow