Matt Murray Takes Major Step Towards Return to Play

Mark Masters just revealed that Matt Murray made a major step towards returning to game play during the Toronto Maple Leafs' recent practice.

Matt Murray has been recovering from his bilateral hip surgery that he had prior to the season and has yet to return to play. His presence has kind of fallen to the wayside as the Toronto Maple Leafs have been juggling three other goaltenders Joseph Woll, Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones.

Now, Mark Masters has just revealed that Matt Murray has made a major step in returning to NHL play, as he appeared on the ice prior to the Leafs' practice today.

There is no timeline for Matt Murray to return to play, and the Leafs are definitely in a position where they don't need him to rush back. They are already juggling having three goaltenders who are all NHL-calibre goalies. Adding Matt Murray into the mix would only further complicate roster moves as the deadline has come and go.

If Matt Murray is close to returning, it begs the question as to whether or not the Leafs should have traded him this season. If he could have returned to play this year, there are lots of teams who could have used NHL-calibre goaltenders that could be on the LTIR until playoffs. Namely, the Edmonton Oilers come to mind. This raises the question as to whether or not the Toronto Maple Leafs should have been a bit more active at the deadline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are sitting pretty with goaltenders, though. This is good news for the Leafs who have struggled to keep their players healthy this year and have had goaltending injuries in the playoffs in the past. They have enough to worry about in figuring out their blueline, as they scratched TJ Brodie the other night.

This is a massive step forward for Matt Murray though, bringing him one step closer to potential playing time.

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