Matt Murray damage impacts Maple Leafs’ wage cap and Ilya Samsonov’s ‘mission’

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TORONTO — For the second summer season in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs went out and bought an injury-prone goaltender in whom they invested extra hundreds of thousands and contract years than the opposite man.

And for the second October in a row, that injury-plagued goaltender lasted no multiple begin earlier than getting sidelined for weeks with an damage.

Maybe you — chilling in your armchair along with your flatscreen flickering and CapFriendly.com referred to as up within the browser tab in your laptop computer — noticed Matt Murray’s journey to LTIR coming sooner or later this season.

Maybe Ilya Samsonov did too.

It’s due to this second, this month, this chance that the Maple Leafs’ affable new backup signed a one-year contract for much less cash than he was provided elsewhere.

The highlight is shining. The door has been kicked extensive open, because of Murray struggling an abductor damage throughout Saturday’s morning skate that can sideline him for at least 4 weeks and 10 video games.

“I’m ready all the time,” assured Samonov, following his unplanned begin in opposition to the Ottawa Senators and second 3-2 win for Toronto.

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“Big gamble from the Leafs but hopefully Samsonov can grab the job and run a little bit,” tweeted former Leafs goalie Curtis McElhinney.

Fans needn’t be reminded how final season’s crease disaster performed out in Leafland. An overpaid Petr Mrazek suffered three groin accidents. Jack Campbell soared early, then struggled for a protracted second-half stretch with psychological hurdles and a damaged rib. Neither instilled sufficient confidence inside administration’s partitions to be introduced again.

Now Kyle Dubas’s gamble on Murray — 4 years faraway from his most up-to-date 40-start season — is wanting dicey.

“Matt, unfortunately, in his time here, was injured all the time,” Senators coach D.J. Smith foreshadowed Friday. “Take nothing away from him. He was just hurt all the time. He had a lot of bad luck.”

The two-time Stanley Cup winner hits injured reserve for the seventh time in underneath 5 years.

“These injuries happen, and we’ve dealt with a lot of them when it comes to our goaltenders over the last couple of seasons. So, that’s the reason why we signed two guys,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned.

Added Justin Holl, who potted Saturday’s game-winner: “You never like to see guys get hurt. It’s very painful, both physically and mentally, for guys. I think we’re thankful that it’s not worse. And he’s gonna be a big part of our team. We’re gonna need him.”

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In the meantime, the Leafs recalled third-stringer Erik Källgren, who will see some work throughout a busy stretch. But the ball belongs to Samsonov, and the 25-year-old is welcoming the workload.

“That’s why he signed here, for the opportunity. He’s on a mission here this season. Now the door’s really open there for him,” Keefe mentioned.

“We are going to have to lean on him probably more than we would have. We had planned to pretty much share things in the early going here and give both guys an opportunity to get some traction.”

The Maple Leafs, it should be famous, are on the 50-contract restrict. So if Dubas had been to contemplate buying one other goalie, a physique must transfer.

What Murray’s journey to the membership’s maximized LTIR pool does do is release cap house for recalled Marlies or wholesome returns of buried gamers (Timothy Liljegren, Jordie Benn).

Nick Robertson scored for the Marlies Saturday and deserved a roster spot out of coaching camp, however the prospect was reduce just because there wasn’t sufficient wiggle room to accommodate his wage.

Samonov’s Maple Leafs are set to embark on a five-game highway journey subsequent week.

The optimistic: Now they’ll have the cap house for further skaters and lineup flexibility, beginning Sunday.

The adverse: Their grand low season funding is already on the shelf… and loads of folks will say they noticed this coming.

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Fox’s Fast 5

• Wayne Simmonds is caught in a bizarre liminal house. He has cleared waivers however has not joined the Marlies. He’s out there for commerce, but one hasn’t materialized.

He is skating and coaching away from the NHL and AHL groups on the Maple Leafs rinks as he and the group determine what to do subsequent.

“We’ve been nothing but supportive through that. He’s played in the league a very long time and certainly deserves that,” Keefe says.

I’ll throw this concept on the wall: If Simmonds continues to be a Leaf late subsequent week, he will get referred to as as much as play in Winnipeg Saturday. That rivalry will get nasty, and we’re unsure who’s daring to combat right here.

• Auston Matthews registered three hits in Wednesday’s opener and adopted that up with 5 Thursday and one other six Saturday. He’s persevering with his profession pattern as a bodily pressure.

“Auston’s a big, strong guy that can assert himself that way when he needs to and can also handle contact and play through contact and raise his level through that when it’s required,” Keefe notes.

“That’s just another area where he can really lead our team and give us a boost when that’s what the game calls for.”

• Ottawa defenceman Jake Sanderson notched his first NHL level, an help on Shane Pinto’s opening power-play marker, made potential by a ticky-tack holding call on Mitch Marner.

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• Don’t learn a lot into Liljegren’s participation within the workforce’s morning skate as he strives to return from his hernia surgical procedure. The right-shot defender is “quite a ways a way still,” per Keefe. Clearance for contact shouldn’t be imminent because the membership workout routines warning.

November 5 could be the earliest Liljegren (LTIR) might see motion.

• Wrestler, actor, producer, businessman… and sports-chant influencer. Can’t cease The Rock.

Just a few natural rounds of “Let’s! Go! Leafs!” sprouted from the nosebleeds Saturday, a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of Thursday’s shock visitor look.