TORONTO – Matt Murray’s one-game stint in the National Hockey League could lead to more playing time.
The Thunder Bay goaltender, who allowed three goals on 27 shots to help Toronto double up Buffalo last Friday, has been recalled to the Maple Leafs for a second time.
The NHL team on Thursday announced it was assigning goaltender Dennis Hildeby to the American Hockey League, making space for Murray, 30, on the big-league roster.
Prior to his start against the Sabres, the two-time Stanley Cup champion Murray had not played an NHL game in 21 months.
Murray, who started his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins before landing in Ottawa, was traded to the Leafs in 2022.
He played 26 games in 2022-23, but injuries derailed his career at that point and he missed almost the entirety of last season, appearing in just three games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
This season, in eight appearances with the AHL club, Murray has a 4-1-2 record with a sparkling 1.85 goals against average and a .931 save percentage.
