Sidney Crosby is on the brink of scoring a whole lot of goals - and his linemates aren't doing too bad for themselves, either. Is this the best line in hockey right now? A grueling hip injury and over a year and a half later, a former Pittsburgh Penguin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/] and two-time Stanley Cup champion is set to make his return to NHL action. Goaltender Matt Murray - who led the charge in back-to-back Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017 - was recalled from the AHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/how-the-maple-leafs-were-able-to-call-up-matt-murray-and-send-dennis-hildeby-down-after-the-holiday-freeze] ahead of their Friday tilt against the Buffalo Sabres. As reported by THN's David Alter [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/how-the-maple-leafs-were-able-to-call-up-matt-murray-and-send-dennis-hildeby-down-after-the-holiday-freeze] and confirmed by Leafs head coach Craig Berube, Murray will start against the Sabres on Friday: Murray was traded by the Ottawa Senators to the Leafs during the summer of 2022, and injuries during the 2022-23 season held him to only 26 games in 2022-23. In that first season with the Leafs, he went 14-8-2 and posted a .903 save percentage. He then had bilateral hip surgery in the offseason of 2023 that kept him out of NHL action the entire 2023-24 season. He did see some time with the Marlies at the end of the AHL season, but he has not started an NHL game since Apr. 2, 2023. He signed a one-year deal with the Leafs this past offseason [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-sign-goaltender-matt-murray-to-one-year-875000-contract]. And interestingly enough? His last start in the AHL came against none other than the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, which was a 27-save shutout and a 3-0 win for Murray and the Marlies. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEwNjYwNDIwMDI3OTUwOTI5/thnpitbanner.png]
