The Toronto Maple Leafs are giving Matt Murray a rest after he started the team’s last three games following a month-long adductor injury.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray has performed well since returning from an adductor injury last week.
In three starts he had made following his season debut on Oct. 12 against the Montreal Canadiens, the 28-year-old netminder has posted a 2-0-1 record with a .933 save percentage. In that span, he picked up his first home win as a Leafs with a 5-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
But it will be Erik Kallgren who gets the assignment against the New York Islanders on Monday.
“Today would have been four games in six days for him,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained had he gone with Murray again. “That’s a lot to ask of any goalie, never mind a goalie coming off injured reserve.”
When first-stringer goaltenders Murray and Ilya Samsonov (knee) were not available to the Leafs, Kallgren made all of Toronto’s starts in goal. After struggling in October, Kallgren performed well this month when needed. He picked up his first win of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 6 and has a 2-1-0 record and a .907 save percentage in November.
Samsonov has not been on the ice for the last few sessions since suffering a knee injury on Nov. 5 against the Boston Bruins. He is expected to join the team for practice on Tuesday and join the team for their four-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.
“At this point, that’s more so to stay in a rhythm with our group,” Keefe explained on Samsonov. “I’m not expecting him to be available for us this week.”
Samsonov was on a roll with the Leafs until injuring his knee while trying to stop Bruins forward Brad Marchand’s penalty shot attempt. He has a 6-2-0 record and a .921 save percentage this season with Toronto.