Has the torch been passed?
On Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced goaltender Matt Murray would start in Game 6, keeping Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench.
This is the the right move by the Penguins’ management; Murray is the reason Pittsburgh has stayed so competitive against the NHL’s best team. The mere fact that Murray was able to stop two breakaway chances by Alex Ovechkin is enough to give Murray the nod for the rest of the series.
This isn’t to say Fleury doesn’t deserve to start. Before a concussion that threw his chances of starting the playoffs out the window, Fleury was one of the hottest goalies in the league. His ability to react so quickly kept his team in just about every game in the last month of play. Still, it’s smart to allow Murray to finish the series, whether it ends tonight or moves on to Game 7.
The 21-year-old has proven his ability as a pro-league netminder and has been a valuable asset to the team’s success in the playoffs.
If the Penguins are able to advance to the next round, then — and only then — should the team reevaluate its goaltending situation. With the expansion draft looming, Pittsburgh will need to make some very tough decisions, and strong showings by both goalies will help determine who will be saved and who will be sacrificed.
At this point, it looks as if Murray has more of a future with the Penguins than Fleury.
Drafted in 2003, Fleury now has time going against him. At 31 years old, it would be difficult to imagine a scenario where his contract gets extended. While his play has been very, very good in Pittsburgh, money is one thing the Penguins don’t have.
Investing now in a younger goaltender is a solely a business move and should be treated as such. Fleury’s career isn’t over yet. Pittsburgh’s management should, at the very least, let Fleury start in at least Game 1 of the Conference Finals if the Penguins move on.
Regardless of how the rest of the playoffs go, the day is coming when the Penguins will have to decide what to do with two stellar goaltenders. It’s a good problem to have.
