Meet the Newest Seattle Kraken: Matt Murray

Free agency opened up for the NHL on July 1. Several teams participated in signing new players to their teams, including the Seattle Kraken. They signed goaltender Matt Murray to a one-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $1 million. Let’s take a look at Murray’s career in the NHL so far.

Murray Got His Start in Pittsburgh 

Murray was drafted in the third round, 83rd overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2012 NHL Draft. Before being drafted, he played in the Ontario Hockey League for the Soo Greyhounds. In the 2012-13 season, the first after he was drafted, he continued playing for the Greyhounds. Murray played 53 games and earned a record of 26-19-4. He recorded a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.67 and a save percentage (SV%) of .894. He played 49 games for the Greyhounds in the 2013-14 season and earned a record of 32-11-6. He earned a SV% of .921 and a GAA of 2.57. These were his best stats in the OHL so far. He also played his first game in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Although the game resulted in a loss, he recorded a SV% of .920. 

The 2014-15 season was Murray’s first full-time season in the AHL. He played 40 games and earned a record of 25-10-4. He recorded his lowest GAA in his AHL career, 1.58, and a SV% of .931. 

The 2015-16 season was special for Murray. He continued in the AHL, playing 31 games with a record of 20-9-1. On Dec. 19, 2015, he played his first NHL game. The game resulted in a loss, but he made 26 saves and allowed only two goals. He played 13 total regular-season games in the 2015-16 season and earned a record of 9-2-1. He finished the regular season, as Marc-Andre Fleury was out with a concussion and could not play. Due to this, Murray also played in a majority of the postseason games. He played 21 playoff games and earned a record of 15-6-0. His performance contributed to the Penguins’ Stanley Cup win in 2016. 

Murray’s stellar postseason performance earned him the starting goaltender role. He played 49 regular-season games and recorded a record of 29-14-6, including four shutouts. Once again, the Penguins made the playoffs. Murray only played 11 postseason games, recording seven wins and three losses. He helped the Penguins hoist the Stanley Cup once again in 2017. 

Murray continued as the starter in the 2018-19 season, playing 50 regular-season games. His record was 29-14-6 with a SV% of .919 and a GAA of 2.69. He played 12 postseason games and earned six wins and six losses. 

In the 2019-20 season, Murray played 38 games. His record was 20-11-5 with a SV% of .899 and a GAA of 2.87. He split his game time between Tristan Jarry during this season, who took over in the AHL for Murray while he was playing in the NHL. After the 2019-20 season was over, it was the last season in which Murray would wear Penguins colors. 

Murray Headed North 

On Oct. 7, 2020, the Penguins traded Murray to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Jonathan Gruden and a second-round pick in the 2020 Draft. Murray spent two seasons with Ottawa, 2020-21 and 2021-22. He played 47 regular-season games and his record was 15-25-3.