Matt Murray: a Sean Monahan-style swap is a possibility

It’s crazy to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ long-awaited line-up and management shake-up will take place after their first first-round series win since 2004.

Every time the Leafs lost in the first round, Toronto was expected to shake things up, but each time, minor changes and adjustments were made, only to plunge headlong into the wall again.

This time, it was the same story, but with the second wall.

That’s why winning a round didn’t do much to change the inevitable in Toronto: a major clean-up.

And it’s already begun, with the news earlier this week that the team’s General Manager, Kyle Dubas, will not be returning to Toronto.

Jason Spezza, advisor to the GM, has also left the team.

It clearly didn’t help that Brendan Shanahan was blocking trades made by Dubas.

In short, Toronto’s housekeeping is well and truly underway, and it clearly won’t stop with a simple change of direction.

There are also bound to be changes on the ice itself.

We’re obviously talking about the possibility of one of the “big-4” players (John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander) being traded, but there’s more to it than that.

One of Toronto’s other unfinished business is Matt Murray.

The 28-year-old goaltender, acquired by the Maple Leafs before the start of the 2022-2023 season, has had his ups and downs this season with Toronto.

He’s had some good spells, but he’s been injured more often than not.

As a result, he didn’t quite perform as expected.

The Leafs now find themselves with a hot potato on their hands: a very fragile goaltender with a contract worth $4,687,500 for one more season.

The Senators withheld 25% of Murray’s $6.25 million salary in the deal.

That’s why the Leafs will try to get rid of him this summer, to make room under their salary cap to facilitate trades and other changes.

The presence of Ilya Samsonov and the blossoming of Joseph Woll will clearly push the Leafs all the more to trade him, or even pay a team to take him.

And that’s where a team like the Montreal Canadiens could be interested in Matt Murray.

Indeed, Kent Hughes might be tempted to make a Sean Monahan-style deal, as he did last summer.

Hughes received a first-round pick from the Calgary Flames to take on Monahan’s hefty $6.375 million contract.

The CH could very well do the same with Murray to receive a good prospect or a good pick and then have the opportunity to trade Jake Allen.

Murray’s presence would allow the CH to trade Allen and give Primeau a chance, because between you and me, Matt Murray clearly won’t stay healthy.

In short, it’s an issue we’ll have to keep an eye on.

In a gust

– Sergei Bobrovsky’s resurrection is impressive.

– He and Matthew Tkachuk are currently dragging the Florida Panthers to a potential Stanley Cup Final.

– Everything’s going well for the Panthers.

– Watch and review.

Alex Barkov’s goal from this angle is slick🔥 pic.twitter.com/mcgzb06q93

– Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) May 21, 2023

– Coming up today.