The off-season was a surprisingly active one for the Ottawa Senators.
With openings throughout the roster and money to spend, Pierre Dorion had a unique opportunity to shape this team not only for next season but for years to come. His most important work came in the form of draft selections like Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig but he also added some significant pieces to the NHL roster.
Evgeni Dadonov brings a much-needed offensive punch to the team’s top six. Erik Gudbranson and Josh Brown add some edge to the blueline. Austin Watson and Alex Galchenyuk provide some needed depth to the forward ranks.
But of all the moves Pierre Dorion made this off-season, the acquisition of Matt Murray will likely end up being the most important.
With Anders Nilsson’s health a lingering question mark and Craig Anderson at the end of his deal, it was clear the Senators had to do something in goal. There were plenty of lower cost, lower risk options available on the market but instead Ottawa chose a far more aggressive path.
Rather than look for a temporary solution during what is a transition year of sorts, the Senators instead targeted one of the best goalies available.
The trade itself- a 2nd round pick (52nd overall) and Jonathan Gruden- was entirely reasonable. And maybe a bargain of sorts. But locking up the restricted free agent certainly didn’t come cheap. The 4 year/$25,000,000 contract handed to Matt Murray is a pretty good indication the Senators see Murray as both the short and long term solution in goal.
There are plenty of quality prospects on the way in goal- including Marcus Hogberg, Joey Daccord, Filip Gustavsson, Mads Sogaard, Kevin Mandolese and Leevi Merilainen- but the Senators are counting on Murray carrying the load for years to come.
At 26 years of age, there’s every reason to believe Murray can be that guy.
In the 2015/2016 season, as a rookie, he led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup win. He posted a 15-6-0 record in the playoffs that year, including a .923 sv% and a 2.08 GAA. And then for an encore, in 2016/2017 (his actual rookie season), he took over for Marc Andre Fleury mid-playoff and again led his team to a Stanley Cup win. His numbers were even better the second time around, including a 7-3-0 record, 1.70 GAA and a .937 sv%.
Actually, if not for Matt Murray, Ottawa may win the Cup that year.
It’s hard to imagine a better start to an NHL career. Two Stanley Cups and 22 post-season wins. As a rookie. Records that will be tough to beat.
Since then though, it’s been a bit of an up and down ride for Murray. A quick glance at his numbers suggests that Murray just hasn’t been able to regain that Cup-winning form. And that’s true. But dig a little deeper and you learn that injuries, shoddy defensive play in front of him and perhaps most importantly, struggles away from the rink, all played a part in his recent inconsistency.
The injuries are well-documented.
It started with a broken hand in 2016. Later that same year, he suffered a fluke injury in warm-up before Game 1 of their first round series against the Blue Jackets. Then in the 2017/2018 season, concussions were an issue. Same thing in the 2018/2019 season as it was again a concussion that cost him his starting job early in the year. He would return but dealt with a lower body shortly after.
So while his numbers haven’t been all that impressive the last three seasons, there’s reason to believe that some bad luck on the injury front may be a big reason why.
Off-ice loss is part of the story with Murray too.
In January 2018, his Father passed away. He spent some time away from the team but people who watched Murray closely felt like it had a lasting effect on his game.
The Senators are hoping with a fresh start, Matt Murray can regain the form he showed early in his career with the Penguins.
In an article in the Ottawa Sun, Ottawa’s Goaltending Coach Pierre Groulx said the chance to acquire a goalie of Murray’s pedigree was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
“I thought a change of scenery would do him great. One of the things that came out when I had a meeting him, and I told Pierre and D.J. this, is he wants this team to do well, he wants to prove what type of goalie he is and how he can help this team get to the next level. He knows, personally, he’s got to have a bounce-back year and he’s got back to where his level of play should be. With the excitement and motivation that he has to play better, after talking to him and watching him on video and speaking to his summer goalie coach, I can’t wait to get on the ice with him and to see him play.”
Early this off-season, it was clear that goaltending was going to be a priority for Pierre Dorion.
While the Senators may not be ready to contend just yet, it’s still so important for even a rebuilding team to have competent goaltending. As prospects progress and players buy in to what the Coaching Staff is selling, they need to occasionally be rewarded for their efforts. They need to start getting used to that winning feeling. That’s how you build a culture. And in hockey, a lot of the time that winning comes down to competent goaltending.
The Ottawa Senators are banking on Matt Murray giving them at least that next season. But as the four-year contract suggests, the Senators also think that Murray can also be the guy to lead this team through those looming years of unparalleled success.
He’s done it in the NHL before. Twice.
The Senators are hoping he can do it again in Ottawa.
