if he gets injured (fakes a concussion).....there will need to be some cap acrobatics to get someone else in here

I remember watching a number of podcasts about Murray, and how several of the Leafs fans discussing the issue felt it would be reasonable to expect him to put up a .910 sv%. Well, he's off to a sparkling .826 start... on just 23 shots from the team that finished dead last in the NHL last season, no less. Plus, he gave up the lead twice in the last 3 minutes of the game. Even a 3-goal night would have been a .870 performance, on a night where he was facing zero pressure or game consequence... other than trying to make a good impression, which he very clearly didn't.

I said earlier in the summer that trading for Murray was one the most high-risk gambles I've ever seen a NHL GM take... especially after the team's infamous playoff disappointments, suffocating fan expectations, relentless media pressure, and the looming reality of the 2-year Matthews window. Nothing I saw last night changes my opinion of that in the least.
- khawk

Payback for Zaitsev!

Leafs D did him no favors, but that glove hand continues to be a problem
- david22

While I agree there were some bad turnovers and there was too much space for MTL to transition, your goalie HAS to make saves sometimes where the team needs - and Murray did that only 1-2x during the game. Leafs easily could've won that game with a top 5 goalie in the NHL, even top 10 goalie

Cheers to a new season! Let's gooooo

While I agree there were some bad turnovers and there was too much space for MTL to transition, your goalie HAS to make saves sometimes where the team needs - and Murray did that only 1-2x during the game. Leafs easily could've won that game with a top 5 goalie in the NHL, even top 10 goalie
- AlfieisKing

the canadian sportsmedia massively overhype TOR Defense, TOR defense is below average overated

Pretty bold Atlantic Division prediction from Eklund, with the Senators finishing 3rd...
https://hockeybuzz.com/bl...sion--Metro-Next/1/119048

Not sure I can see them leapfrogging both TB and BOS in a single year, but it's not impossible for them to move up to as high as 4th/5th, if they can get off to a solid start. That said, people are using the 100pts playoff cut-off mark from last year too literally... a lot of the lower-end teams have improved, which will make it much harder for so many teams to get such high point tallies. I wouldn't be surprised if the wild card teams in the East are more in the mid-90 range, and involves more than just the couple of cut-off teams that were anywhere near that mark last season.

While I agree there were some bad turnovers and there was too much space for MTL to transition, your goalie HAS to make saves sometimes where the team needs - and Murray did that only 1-2x during the game. Leafs easily could've won that game with a top 5 goalie in the NHL, even top 10 goalie
- AlfieisKing

Our eyes tell us that Murray has difficulty stopping shots, especially glove side high. People are going to shoot glove side high until he can prove he is able to catch the puck.

Leaf management has Murray wearing blinders in practice to better track the puck.

The beliefs are so different I sometimes think maybe we missed something. Maybe Leafs really have seen something we all missed.

the canadian sportsmedia massively overhype TOR Defense, TOR defense is below average overated
- Mithos

I would tend to agree. It's funny that Frederik Anderson got dumped by TOR for having such a 'bad' year, but then magically heads off to CAR and winds up 4th in Vezina voting, with better underlying numbers than 2 of the 3 finalists (35W, 2.17GAA, .922sv%). Then Jack Campbell comes and and puts up very similar numbers to Andersen, and they get the same results come playoff time. And now they've gone with the most unproven tandem they've had in the years, expecting better results? Not sure that's how it works, when 4 of your top-6 D-men are 30+, including 3 of your top-4D.

the canadian sportsmedia massively overhype TOR Defense, TOR defense is below average overated
- Mithos

Does anybody feel sorry for the great Toronto hockey fans.

Much of the media hype is self serving. They pump Leaf tires to increase audiences and readers.

Fans get crushed because they lack the depth to be a serious playoff contender.

The Blue Jay loss only adds to their great pain.

The blinders aren't just on Murray, apparently. Whoever wrote the line "Matt Murray was strong in his Leafs debut" should be fired on the spot, because they clearly didn't watch the game, and are basically just projecting the story that 'must' be true in order to maintain the narrative. In fact, the Toronto-centric media has been doing acrobatics to insulate Murray from criticism from the day the trade was made. Virtually every analysis I've seen has either hugely downplayed their potential weakness in goal, or actively focused on just their impression of how good his attitude or conditioning has looked within the past few weeks. However, nothing changes the reality that he's been playing like absolute $hit for 3 years now, and apparently some people continue to want to believe otherwise.
- khawk

100% right on the money. Murray had a goalie coach fired in Pitt that helped him win 2 cups then had the Pierre Groulx demoted here in Ottawa in his first season. The guy is a head case.....

Does anybody feel sorry for the great Toronto hockey fans.

Much of the media hype is self serving. They pump Leaf tires to increase audiences and readers.

Fans get crushed because they lack the depth to be a serious playoff contender.

The Blue Jay loss only adds to their great pain.
- spatso

Oh the media is for sure.....like I mentioned last night, listening to Friedman go on and on about Murray making 8 saves lol in the first period lol.

if he gets injured (fakes a concussion).....there will need to be some cap acrobatics to get someone else in here
- Octavarium

Can you imagine?!

Payback for Zaitsev!
- SensFan25

Great way to look at it!

Pretty bold Atlantic Division prediction from Eklund, with the Senators finishing 3rd...
https://hockeybuzz.com/bl...sion--Metro-Next/1/119048

Not sure I can see them leapfrogging both TB and BOS in a single year, but it's not impossible for them to move up to as high as 4th/5th, if they can get off to a solid start. That said, people are using the 100pts playoff cut-off mark from last year too literally... a lot of the lower-end teams have improved, which will make it much harder for so many teams to get such high point tallies. I wouldn't be surprised if the wild card teams in the East are more in the mid-90 range, and involves more than just the couple of cut-off teams that were anywhere near that mark last season.
- khawk

If a few things go right.....goaltending holds up and they get a top 4 at some point....it's possible, but it's also possible that they finish 5th in the division.

I would tend to agree. It's funny that Frederik Anderson got dumped by TOR for having such a 'bad' year, but then magically heads off to CAR and winds up 4th in Vezina voting, with better underlying numbers than 2 of the 3 finalists (35W, 2.17GAA, .922sv%). Then Jack Campbell comes and and puts up very similar numbers to Andersen, and they get the same results come playoff time. And now they've gone with the most unproven tandem they've had in the years, expecting better results? Not sure that's how it works, when 4 of your top-6 D-men are 30+, including 3 of your top-4D.
- khawk

Their defense will cause them issues this year, no doubt! But Freddie and Jack had solid season in Toronto but for whatever reason it was never enough for management.

I would tend to agree. It's funny that Frederik Anderson got dumped by TOR for having such a 'bad' year, but then magically heads off to CAR and winds up 4th in Vezina voting, with better underlying numbers than 2 of the 3 finalists (35W, 2.17GAA, .922sv%). Then Jack Campbell comes and and puts up very similar numbers to Andersen, and they get the same results come playoff time. And now they've gone with the most unproven tandem they've had in the years, expecting better results? Not sure that's how it works, when 4 of your top-6 D-men are 30+, including 3 of your top-4D.
- khawk

Their defense will cause them issues this year, no doubt! But Freddie and Jack had solid season in Toronto but for whatever reason it was never enough for management.

Their defense will cause them issues this year, no doubt! But Freddie and Jack had solid season in Toronto but for whatever reason it was never enough for management.
- Kevin Francis

not certain TOR big 4 are defensively responsible enough to help their D, Tor could miss the playoffs, they can score sure, but if they let it more than they can score they lose.

Their defense will cause them issues this year, no doubt! But Freddie and Jack had solid season in Toronto but for whatever reason it was never enough for management.
- Kevin Francis

Remember Leafs started the game last night with only $4 in cap space. I don't think the Leaf goaltending situation reflects what they wanted. I think it reflects disastrous cap management.

Remember Leafs started the game last night with only $4 in cap space. I don't think the Leaf goaltending situation reflects what they wanted. I think it reflects disastrous cap management.
- spatso

leafs has to be one of if not the most unbalanced top of cap teams in NHL.

leafs has to be one of if not the most unbalanced top of cap teams in NHL.
- Mithos

I have seen people this morning proposing that Nylander should be traded for goaltending help. Fine, but you are still carrying and having to pay Murray.

I tend to agree with some of the earlier commentators that stressed that the Leaf media is complicit in the cover up. It is a mess and somebody needs to shine a light on it!

I have seen people this morning proposing that Nylander should be traded for goaltending help. Fine, but you are still carrying and having to pay Murray.

I tend to agree with some of the earlier commentators that stressed that the Leaf media is complicit in the cover up. It is a mess and somebody needs to shine a light on it!
- spatso

they should have traded marner not re-sign him

The genesis of the Leafs' problem was the signing of Tavares.

The genesis of the Leafs' problem was the signing of Tavares.
- HoweHatrick

100% with you, they tried to accelerate the rebuild and it backfired badly!

Goalie performances last night:

Jack Campbell: .917 SV percentage

Frederik Andersen: .969 SV percentage

Matt Murray: .826 SV percentage

they should have traded marner not re-sign him
- Mithos

All of their top players wanted top dollars too.....