Murray said earlier this summer after signing with Toronto that his hips haven't felt this good in a long time.
Matt Murray looks ready for a massive season, according to DailyFaceoff's Carter Hutton.
The former NHL goaltender joined TSN 1050's First Up on Monday morning and discussed several topics around the NHL, including the Maple Leafs' goalie picture, where he spoke admirably about Murray, who had bilateral hip surgery last October.
"Matt is from Thunder Bay as well. I was on the ice with them a bunch [this summer]. We run a goalie camp here in the summer — him and Mackenzie Blackwood — and this is the best I've seen Matt Murray look," Hutton told Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo while examining Toronto's goalie situation.
"I'm going to pump his tires as well while I can here because he looks really good. And he is a guy that I fear if they try to put him down in the minors, gets picked up, especially with Laurent Broissoit going down in Chicago. And there's a lot of movement.
"But I like where the Leafs are at right now. But I think this is where I don't want to give anyone the keys to the castle just yet. I want them to get games and get them all going."
Toronto is entering training camp with four goaltenders who could see NHL games this season: Joseph Woll, Anthony Stolarz, Murray, and potentially, Dennis Hildeby, if injuries stack up.
Colaiacovo and Korolnek were surprised that Hutton spoke highly of Murray, however, the former NHL goaltender of over 230 games doubled down, saying the goaltender's perfect for the Toronto hockey market.
"I'm telling you, he got both his hips done. He had double hip surgery and I've skated with Matt a bunch. I've watched him throughout the years, played against him, and this is the best summer I've seen him in a long, long time. So I'm very optimistic," Hutton said.
"Obviously, fingers crossed he's got to stay healthy. But I'm a big fan of Matt's game, and I think for him, he had options in free agency and he wanted to be in Toronto. He wanted to stay in Toronto. And I think because, you know, he's a guy that – he's been through these pressure situations. I don't think the market's going to affect him.
"It's just a matter of staying healthy. And I think that goes for pretty much their whole net right now because health is going to be the issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs."
Murray signed a one-year deal with Toronto worth $875,000 on July 1, the same cap hit that Martin Jones had while he was with the Maple Leafs last season. When signing Jones, Toronto put a $100,000 signing bonus in the deal, which was paid out the day before the NHL season began.
It's not clear yet whether the Maple Leafs went down the same route with Murray ahead of this season. The 30-year-old has played 26 games with Toronto since the beginning of the 2022-23 season and has a .903 save percentage throughout that span.
