Report: Leafs talks intensifying around acquiring Murray

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Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas indicated at the NHL Draft in Montreal earlier this week that he would be looking to the trade market in his pursuit of goaltending, and according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, talks have intensified with the Ottawa Senators about acquiring two-time Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray.

The 28-year-old netminder battled injuries last season, playing only 20 games (5-12-2, 3.05 GAA, .906 save %), but is well known by Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe during their days with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds.

Ottawa has three goalies in Murray, Anton Forsberg (who recently signed to a three-year contract extension), and youngster Filip Gustavsson. The Sens attempted to deal Murray to Buffalo earlier this week, but he used his no-trade clause to block the deal.

The Sens reportedly agreed to report a portion of Murray’s $6.25 million AAV to make a deal possible and would have to do so in a potential deal with Toronto. Based on the continuing lack of progress and the Leafs not wanting to overpay on a new deal for Jack Campbell, Toronto is looking for as many options between now and Wednesday as possible.

If the Leafs can get Ottawa to retain half of his contract or flip him through a third team to make Murray’s cap hit lower, Toronto would have a potential tandem goalie for two years at a lower salary than Mrazek, but the concern about Murray is not ability but availability with his history of injury problems.

Ottawa is reportedly interested in adding a right-handed defenseman, and that could mean someone like Justin Holl would be involved. The 30-year-old blueliner played under Sens head coach DJ Smith when he was an assistant under Mike Babcock and has a cap hit of $2 million in the final year of his contract.

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