Maple Leafs goalie expected to miss all of 2023-24 after hip surgery

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that goaltender Matt Murray underwent bilateral hip surgery and is expected to miss six to eight months.

The injury should take him out for the year, with the regular season ending in six months’ time in April.

Toronto announced that Murray would start the season on long-term injured reserve back in July. Murray was limited to just 26 games in 2022-23 after dealing with various ailments. A late-season concussion knocked him out for the regular season stretch run, but the team did say the he was available for the playoffs if needed.

Murray last saw NHL action on April 2, allowing two goals on seven shots in 16 minutes of play. His last win came on March 23, a 6-2 victory over Florida.

Murray was limited to just 47 games with the Ottawa Senators over two years and even passed through waivers before spending two games in the AHL with Belleville. Murray’s best days came in Pittsburgh when he led the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. Ever since, the Thunder Bay, Ontario native has dealt with injuries and inconsistent play, but did help Canada win silver at the 2019 World Championship.

The Leafs currently have three goaltenders on the roster for 2023-24, with Ilya Samsonov expected to be the No. 1 after signing a one-year, $3.55 million extension over the summer. Joseph Woll won the backup role in camp, while Martin Jones was signed to an inexpensive one-year deal to provide some extra depth. The Leafs put Jones on waivers on Sunday afternoon.

With Murray and defenseman Jake Muzzin on LTIR, the Leafs will have $10.312 million attached to injuries, giving the team some extra cap space. The club traded Sam Lafferty in exchange for a draft pick on Sunday, too.