Looking back, he was really just a kid that night on April 19, 2016.
Matt Murray, making his playoff debut on one of the biggest stages in all of sports, allowed just one goal at Madison Square Garden as the Penguins beat the New York Rangers 3-1 to kickstart a thrilling two-year ride. Just 21 years old and barely old enough to legally drink when the 2016 playoff run began, Murray was soon sipping out of the Stanley Cup — something he repeated as the backstop during back-to-back championships.
In one sense, it feels like yesterday. But, at the same time, it’s also a lifetime ago for a goalie who has experienced more in a few short seasons than many do in their entire careers.
During his five years in Pittsburgh, Murray played in 199 regular season games and made 51 playoff appearances. He won those two championships, earned a hefty contract extension and married his long-time girlfriend, Christina. Over the same relatively short period of time, Murray dealt with personal and professional challenges. He lost his father in January of 2018, struggled with injuries and battled inconsistencies that ultimately contributed to the Penguins choosing not to make room for him on their payroll.
On Wednesday, Murray added one more thing to that list of life experiences when he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a second-round pick and prospect Jonathan Gruden.
“Mixed emotions, for sure,” Murray said. “It’s my first time being traded. It’s something new for me. I had a lot of good years in Pittsburgh, obviously. I’ll always miss it there.
“I’m nothing but thankful for my time there. We had a lot of ups and downs and I personally had a lot of ups and downs. I learned a lot of lessons from it. I think those lessons are going to serve me well in the future.”
Asked to reflect on his time in Pittsburgh, Murray noted that there are too many memories to choose just one. Somewhere near the top of the list, though, are the friendships he forged.
“Especially with some of the guys I played in Wilkes-Barre with,” Murray said. “We kind of came up together at the same time and won those two Cups together. Just those moments in the locker room, I’d say, especially after those two Cup wins.
“I was so fortunate to be part of such a great team and have so many cool moments. I’m going to remember them all, for sure.”
Now at 26, Murray returns to his home country for the next stage of his career. He’ll still need to take a plane to travel back to his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. But he’ll be in familiar territory not far from where he played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League and a short drive from his current home.
One pressing question is how long Murray will remain in Ottawa, as he’s currently a restricted free agent. The Senators have plenty of salary cap space to negotiate a long-term deal that would make Murray more than a rental.
“I haven’t heard anything on that front as of yet,” Murray said. “But I’m sure my agent and the team are having talks. I hope we can get something done so I can be here for years to come.”
While the Penguins’ salary cap situation contributed to the club thinning its goalie depth chart, there’s no denying Murray’s stats the past two regular seasons contributed to the team choosing a cheaper option in Tristan Jarry. Murray is coming off of one of his worst statistical seasons. He played in just 38 games and posted a career-low .899 save percentage.
He acknowledged that his game slipped recently and said his hope is to return to the same form that made him sparkle in the 2016 and 2017 postseasons.
“The biggest thing for me is consistency, trying to do it night-in and night-out,” Murray said. “I think when guys look back at the goalie, they should feel comfortable. They should feel confident. That’s the kind of demeanor that I try to bring no matter what the scenario is.”
Now, with a new club and a new city, Murray is looking ahead to his next major milestone: fatherhood. In January, he and his wife are expecting a baby girl.
Maybe it’s fitting that the kid who began his career in Pittsburgh will start a family of his own and the next step in his hockey journey at the same time.
Mike DeFabo: mdefabo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDeFabo.
First Published: October 8, 2020, 5:41 p.m.