A Crucial Factor has been Revealed That Could Complicate Matt Murray's Trade

Due to a significant portion of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs being missed by Matt Murray, a change in the game plan was necessitated. Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll have therefore been put into play more frequently than initially anticipated.

There's been some speculation amongst fans and analysts alike, about whether this goalkeeper pairing would be sufficient for the forthcoming season. If this course of action is chosen by Brad Treliving, the most likely outcomes would involve either buying Murray out or trading him.

Michael Distefano and ex-Leaf Peter Holland delved into these potential scenarios in a recent episode of Leafs Lunch on TSN1050. They discussed the complexities and implications of a trade, as well as the possible repercussions of a buyout.

Given Matt Murray's injury-riddled past and his hefty $8M salary, sweetening the deal may be necessary if the Leafs decide on a trade. When Ottawa traded him to the Leafs, they sweetened the deal by including a third and a seventh-round pick, while retaining 25% of his salary.

Treliving might have to employ a similar strategy if he decides to trade Murray. This could involve retaining some of Murray's salary or including additional picks or players. However, this scenario is not ideal.

Distefano and Holland also outlined the costs associated with a potential buyout for the Leafs. The team would be required to pay $687K next season, with an additional $2M in dead cap space the following year.

With a speculated increase of $2M in the cap in 2024, it's likely that the entirety of this increase would be used to cover Murray's dead contract. The full discussion can be viewed here:

Murray could potentially remain with the team. However, it's important to consider Woll's ice time in this scenario, as there's a collective hope that it won't be decreased. Given his potential, Woll is viewed as the future of the Leafs and should be allowed maximum playtime.

If either of these options don't present feasible solutions, it wouldn't be unexpected if the Leafs decide to buy out Murray's contract.

As Read on HockeyPatrol - A Key Detail That Could Make Trading Matt Murray More Complex has been Revealed