The Ottawa Senators have acquired goaltender Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins will receive the 52nd overall selection in today’s draft and prospect John Gruden in exchange. Murray, who is a pending restricted free agent, was already issued a qualifying offer from the Penguins this week, an offer that will travel with him to Ottawa.
Though the contract is not in place yet, the Senators are expected to sign Murray to an extension, giving them a new starting goaltender for the 2020-21 season and beyond. Still just 26, Murray has a championship pedigree from his time with the Penguins and will stabilize the net of a team that is quickly building an incredible prospect base.
If you think a second-round selection is a pretty good return for the Penguins, it is. In a year where goaltenders are available by the dozen, the Penguins will land another strong prospect on day two of the draft by nabbing a pick that originally belonged to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Senators meanwhile have draft capital to burn and will still select three more times in the second round.
Gruden is certainly an interesting addition as well. The fourth-round pick went to Miami University (Ohio) in 2018-19 and struggled, deciding to make the jump to the OHL this past year. With the London Knights, one of the strongest junior programs in Canada, Gruden found a lot more success, scoring 30 goals and 66 points in just 59 games. Now 20 he is eligible to turn pro and play in the AHL, he is still likely a few years away from making an impact for the Penguins.
Murray was always going to be traded this offseason, given the $3.75MM qualifying offer he required. The Penguins have decided to hand the net to Tristan Jarry and didn’t have enough cap space to keep both goaltenders in the fold. They also were facing a very similar situation with regards to expansion and would have had to expose one of Murray or Jarry to the Seattle Kraken if they kept them both.
In Ottawa, Murray will have to try and rebound from the .899 save percentage he registered this season. The two-time Stanley Cup winner did rebound and look better in the postseason, but still wasn’t the dominant presence he represented when first entering the league.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
surprised they had to give up a prospect in addition to 52 but Sens needed to address the Net.
Good pickup
We don’t win those Cups without Matt Murray. Best of luck.
Agreed..Murray was fantastic during the Cup years. Had a tough act to follow in Pittsburgh. Hope he does well with the Senators.
Like it for both sides. Pens add 2 young players with a pick and a prospect. Clear up the goaltending situation and save money. Ottawa gets their goalie of the present and possibly the future until someone else in the pipeline is ready.
That’s if the pick actually lasts until it’s time to be made. Knowing JR it will be moved
If they can get a good player now for it, that’s exactly what they should do.
used it on a goalie. that’s awesome
So all of the goaltending depth acquired the last few seasons wasn’t enough.
nice balanced trade it seems. dont know why the Pens need a football coach though.
Haha. It’s only a matter of time before he’s on the sidelines coaching the Raiders.
It wouldn’t be the first time Gruden has been traded by the Raiders lmao
Impressive to trade the Raiders head coach as a toss in.
Giles Meloche,Gary Smith sent there best. Even JR himself know’s your pain to come with bad red wing team’s in the 1970’s.You will be in a shooting gallery for sure. Best of luck.
This man single handedly cost the Sens a cup so I’m expecting him to return that back.
He seems slow on his glove side and plays small in the net now. Not sure what happened. He needs a coach that he will listen too