Out with an adductor injury since Oct. 15, Matt Murray will return to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup when the team visits the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
Matt Murray is slated to play in his second game of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins
"Progress has been really good, they do a heck of a job here," Murray said of the medical staff ahead of his return.
Head Coach Sheldon Keefe proclaimed the goaltender ready to go during his media availability on Tuesday.
"Matt Murray's a big part of our team," Keefe said. "To get him back in the net and get rolling is important for us."
The goaltender injured his groin before his second scheduled start, thrusting the to Leafs into a situation to rely heavily on Ilya Samsonov (who hurt his knee last week) and Erik Kallgren.
Slated to be out of the lineup for a minimum of four weeks, the Leafs were encouraged that Murray is able to return on the early side of the timeline.
"It was a four-to-six-week type of deal," Keefe explained. "He put in a lot of hard work and he looks very much ready."
The Leafs acquired Murray from the Ottawa Senators in July to help their void in goal. Previous starter, Jack Campbell, signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Given Murray's injury history, the Leafs have felt that a different environment would serve the goaltender well. His previous team, the Ottawa Senators, retained 25 percent of Murray's $6.25 million salary cap for this season and next.
Despite a track record of injuries, Murray said this injury was new. And that he felt better every day leading up to his eventual return on Tuesday.
Murray has yet to play a game in Pittsburgh since winning two Stanley Cups with the franchise. But he did travel to the city with the Sens where he received a warm welcome home.
In his only game against his former club, saved 42 of 43 shots in a 2-0 loss to the Penguins in Ottawa on Feb. 10.
Samsonov update
With Murray out of the lineup, Samsonov performed well in his place with a 6-2-0 record and .921 save percentage until he suffered a knee injury.
"Just the amount of work he did tells me he's feeling really good," Keefe said of Murray. "They were going to spend the day feeling it out and making sure they don't progress too quickly. Very encouraging to see both guys on the ice (Murray and Samsonov)."
The goaltender remains on injured reserve and is scheduled to keep practicing throughout the week.