Penguins won't use record-setting AHL goaltender Matt Murray in NHL next season
Matt Murray's AHL accomplishments weren't enough to earn him a spot on the Pittsburgh Penguins to begin next season.
The team will keep the netminder - who broke the AHL's shutout streak record, and earned AHL Goaltender of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in the process - in the minors to begin the year.
"He's not coming in here and beating out Marc-Andre Fleury and taking over this team," assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald told the Penguins' official website. "We love what we have down the line here, and it is down the line. He just turned 21. He needs to play hockey games. You can't develop if he's sitting on the bench. That's just a fact."
Murray's shutout streak lasted exactly a month and spanned 304:11, breaking the record of 268:17, set by Barry Brust in 2012.
Although the news is disappointing, Murray understands the process and will accept whatever role the organization has for him.
"I think either way could be good for me," Murray said. "I think playing in the AHL wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but also practicing with the best players in the world wouldn't be a bad thing either, so the way I look at it, either way I can take the positives out of it. Wherever I end up, I'm still going to have the same determinations and play the same way each and every day and let things take care of itself."
Murray completed last season with a 25-10-3 record, a goals-against average of 1.58, a save percentage of .941, and 12 shutouts in 40 appearances.
Jeff Zatkoff is the most likely candidate to back up Fleury. He has 21 games of NHL experience on his resume.