Maple Leafs goaltender on the ice months after double hip surgery

Toronto Maple Leafs fans were surprised on Friday morning as the team was getting ready for their practice.

TSN's Mark Masters captured a video from just before practice of Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray taking a shot from forward Auston Matthews. It was a welcome sign for many Maple Leafs fans as no one knew when he'd be stepping on the ice again following surgery before the start of the 2023-24 season.

Murray didn't stay on the ice for too long however, as he departed just before the start of Maple Leafs' practice as they prepare for tomorrow's game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Murray, 29, underwent bilateral hip surgery before the start of the current season and was eventually placed on long-term injured reserve by the team, with a recovery timeline of six-to-eight months.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario native has had a rough go in Toronto with injuries since being traded to them by the Ottawa Senators in 2022. During his first season with the Maple Leafs in 2022-23, he suffered an abductor injury in October, an ankle injury in January and a concussion in early April.

In 26 games with the Maple Leafs last season, Murray had a record of 14-8-2 with a 3.01 goals against average, a .903 save percentage and one shutout.

While it's positive news that Murray is on the ice, skating and taking shots, it seems pretty unlikely that he'll play this season for the Maple Leafs, with the team having three good options to turn to with Joseph Woll, Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones.