The Montreal Canadiens, in their seemingly never-ending attempt to get bigger, signed former Penguins and Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray to a 1 year, $1.5M contract.
Apr 11, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Douglas Murray (3) against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
In a case of size not always mattering, as a Senators fan the signing does not concern me in the least. Murray was dealt to the Penguins at the trade deadline, and he was supposed to provide a rugged, tough brand of defense that would help the Pens on their Stanley Cup run. Well that Cup run didn’t really materialize, and neither did Murray meet the expectations. His was the type of rough and tumble game that was suited to the Eastern Conference, but he simply proved that he is too immobile to be a legitimate factor in today’s NHL.
As he joins one of the Senators’ bigger rivals, his presence on the ice does not worry me in the least, and if he eats up $1.5M of cap space and 10 or 12 minutes of ice time every game, that works to Ottawa’s advantage.
After all, having a red, white and blue pylon on the ice simply increases the chances of this happening once again:
All in all, its simply a matter of depth. How much Murray plays will depend on the health of his linemates. I don’t think he will be considered for their top 4, and he will likely see minimal ice time.