Matt Murray's injury woes continue.
The beleaguered goaltender is out indefinitely and will be placed on long-term injured reserve prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced Wednesday.
Murray was limited to 26 appearances this past season, posting a 14-8-2 record to go along with a .903 save percentage and 3.01 goals against average. The 29-year-old spent time on the shelf due to adductor, ankle, and head injuries.
Ailments similarly marred Murray's two-year stint with the Senators, and he struggled to make a positive impression when healthy. He registered a sub-.900 save percentage in 47 total outings in Ottawa.
Murray helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, going 22-9 with a .928 clip and 1.95 goals against average across both runs.
A report earlier in July indicated the Maple Leafs were looking to offload Murray, who's on their books for one more season on a $4.687-million price tag.
Outside of a trade, Toronto's backup plan was to reportedly buy Murray out after the club gained a second buyout window due to Ilya Samsonov going to salary arbitration. However, that option is no longer feasible because teams can't buy out an injured player, according to CapFriendly.
If Toronto could buy Murray out, he'd cost $687,500 against the cap in 2023-24 and $2 million in 2024-25.
The Maple Leafs will likely run a tandem of Samsonov and Joseph Woll in the new campaign. Samsonov was awarded a one-year, $3.55-million deal in arbitration Sunday.
Even with Murray on long-term injured reserve, Toronto is still approximately $2.1 million over the cap.
