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Resting Marc-Andre Fleury, Experience for Matt Murray

By Scott Seningen

Dec 21, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) makes a save against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) makes a save against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have called goaltender Matt Murray up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  With that, the Pens have a full complement of netminders in Murray, Jeff Zatkoff and Marc-Andre Fleury.

With Matt Murray called up and Jeff Zatkoff set to become an unrestricted free agent, some thought that we’d see a trade coming.  Certainly a possibility, although it didn’t happen.  What if the Pens have another motive in bringing Murray up?

Murray is a prospect netminder who has been having his fair share of success at the AHL level.  At 21 years of age, he’s put up an impressive .931 save percentage and 2.10 goals-against-average in 31 games.  And though he hasn’t been the team’s primary backup, in the time he’s had within an NHL crease, he’s shown some impressive stuff.  In a small sampling of four games, he’s stopped 105 pucks with a .938 save percentage and 1.72 GAA.  Yes, not much experience at the NHL level, but a strong showing in his appearances.

So, now we have Murray along with Zatkoff and the clear starter in Marc-Andre Fleury all up in Pittsburgh.  What to do with three goaltenders?  We know that Murray is going to get more time in net.  As General Manager Jim Rutherford was quoted in a recent triblive.com article, “You’ll see more of Matt Murray after the deadline”.

What’s the purpose of giving a prospect netminder more time in net for a team looking to make a playoff run?  I think it is a two-fold purpose.  First, Penguins’ management wants to get this guy some NHL experience in one of the toughest stretches of the season.  They see him as ready for the challenge and they want to groom him for the future.  Second, and more importantly for the immediate future, they want to give Fleury a healthy dose of rest before the Pens head into, hopefully, the playoffs.

In Fleury’s second and third playoff campaigns, when he was still a very young man from an NHL netminder perspective, he led the NHL in playoff games, minutes, saves and wins.  Of course those two season culminated with a Stanley Cup championship for the Pens following the 2008-09 campaign.

Fast forward to the 2015-16 season and Fleury at 31 years of age isn’t the spring chicken he used to be.  After a long and grueling regular season, where he’s seen plenty of work, Fleury will need to be as fresh as possible if the Pens are going to advance through the playoffs.  How does Pittsburgh management make sure that happens?  By getting Murray and Zatkoff more time in net towards the end of the season, and giving Fleury some time to rest.

What do you say Penguins fans?

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