Murray left Wednesday's contest versus the Carolina Hurricanes after two periods and gave way to Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 19 saves in securing the victory.
Fleury was usurped on the depth chart by Murray during the postseason, as the rookie backstopped the Penguins all the way to the Stanley Cup and into this season.
Now, with his future at the club unclear as a result of incessant trade speculation, Fleury will have an opportunity to prove his worth to the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2003.
Murray signed a three-year, $11.25-million extension with the Penguins in October, and has put together a sparkling campaign thus far. The 22-year-old is 13-3-1 with a 2.18 goals against average and .928 save percentage.
Tom Renney will step down as Hockey Canada president July 1, 2017, giving way to current chief operating officer Scott Smith, Renney announced Thursday.
Renney will remain with the organization as CEO.
"I see an opportunity for Hockey Canada to be more effective in delivering on our growing mandate here in Canada and internationally by separating the roles of president and chief executive officer, and our board of directors has endorsed my view," Renney said. "Scott and I have very complementary skillsets and approaches, but just as importantly, this also allows us to recognize Scott’s demonstrated abilities as a leader and high-performer with a commitment to, and passion for, the game."
Smith joined Hockey Canada in 1995, and was named COO in 2007.
Having battled injuries to key forwards all season long, the latest to hit the shelf is rookie Brayden Point, who will miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Thursday.
Cooper: "Right when you think you're taking steps to get healthier, we take two steps back. Point was really coming into his own."
Instead, it's at the other end of the ice where the club is lacking, head coach Darryl Sutter opined following a 2-1 loss to the lowly Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.
"I just think that we don't have a lot of scoring in our lineup, especially with Tyler (Toffoli) out, and if you get down one, you're fine, but if you get down two, you're playing a different game then," he said, according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider.
He isn't wrong. After Jeff Carter's team-leading 19 goals, the scoring totals are down across the board, especially, as Sutter mentioned, after Toffoli - who sits second with eight goals - was recently placed on injured reserve.
Here's a look at some notable Kings:
Player
Games
Goals
Tanner Pearson
33
8
Drew Doughty
35
5
Dustin Brown
35
5
Anze Kopitar
30
3
Marian Gaborik
13
1
After the loss to Vancouver, the Kings still hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a plus-two goal differential. That's a testament to Peter Budaj's performance in relief of Quick, though, as Los Angeles ranks 22nd with a goals-per-game average of 2.49 while allowing a sixth-ranked 2.36.
If the goal-scoring doesn't pick up, the Kings will risk falling out of the playoff picture, and it won't be because of goaltending.
theScore's NHL editors convened for an emergency session of "On the Fly," our weekly roundtable series, to discuss whether Ottawa Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson - whose No. 11 is being retired by the club Thursday - is worthy of a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Without a doubt
Ian McLaren: Alfredsson belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
With 444 goals and 713 assists, Alfredsson's 1,157 career points ranks him 51st on the NHL's all-time list. The biggest knock against him will always be that he never won a Stanley Cup, but Alfredsson's impact on the NHL - serving as face of the Senators franchise for 17 seasons - can't be understated.
He's Ottawa's all-time leader in goals, assists, and total points, and became the first European captain in league history to lead his club to a Stanley Cup Final after scoring a series-winning overtime goal against Buffalo in the conference finals.
Awards-wise, Alfredsson did bring home the 1996 Calder Trophy and the 2012 King Clancy Award, along with winning gold (2006) and silver (2014) with Sweden at the Winter Olympics.
All told, Alfredsson had a remarkable career, and one that deserves recognition beyond Ottawa.
Sean O'Leary: There should be little debate about Alfredsson's Hall of Fame credentials.
While he's not an all-time icon of the sport, "Alfie" was criminally underrated during his time as a player. He was as consistent as his era allowed him to be.
Alfredsson won the Calder Trophy in 1995-96 with 61 points, and topped the 70-point plateau in nine consecutive season, including a four-year stretch with more than 80.
He also captained the Senators to eight consecutive playoff appearances, and recorded 22 points in 20 games during their lone march to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.
He remains a terrific ambassador for the sport in Ottawa, and while Alfredsson may lack individual accolades, a 2006 Olympic gold medal with Sweden plus prolific scoring totals should be enough to get him in.
No, unfortunately
Navin Vaswani: Put simply: Alfredsson's career is worthy of Hall of Fame discussion, but in the end, no - he shouldn't make the cut.
The Swede had a remarkable career, and this is more of a gripe against the Hockey Hall of Fame, which has simply let too many guys in. It's supposed to be an exclusive group - raise the bar.
In my opinion, there's a baseline test: Did the player average a point per game in his career? Unfortunately, at 0.93, Alfredsson failed in this regard, albeit barely.
His career was still remarkable. Alfredsson was - and still is - the Senators. He's been inducted into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. He's the second-highest scoring Swedish NHLer ever, behind Mats Sundin, and certainly belongs in Sweden's Hockey Hall of Fame. But being the greatest Senator of all time doesn't mean the gates of the Hockey Hall of Fame must open for him.
I know how Senators supporters will counter: If Sundin's a Hall of Famer - and he is - so is Alfredsson. But it isn't that simple.
Player
G
A
P
PPG
100-point seasons
Playoff PPG
20-goal seasons
Major awards
Alfredsson
444
713
1157
0.93
1 (103)
0.81
13
2
Sundin
564
785
1359
1.00
1 (114)
0.90
17
0
Neither won a Stanley Cup - something that isn't their fault, although it should be noted that Alfredsson reached a final, something Sundin wasn't able to do. But Sundin hit two major benchmarks that give him the edge: 500 goals and the point-per-game mark.
Alfredsson deserves all the praise in the world. He was an incredible hockey player, and by all accounts a better person, whose involvement in the Ottawa community will far outlast any of his on-ice contributions. That he's not worthy of a Hall of Fame spot, in my opinion, doesn't take away from any of his accomplishments, and he deserves to be feted Thursday in a way no other Ottawa sports icon has before him.
Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.
Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, Dec. 29:
Triple Threat
C Nicklas Backstrom (57K), LW Marcus Johansson (41K), T.J. Oshie (47K), Capitals (vs. Devils): Foregoing star Alex Ovechkin and focusing on the Capitals' second most popular line is more affordable and balanced. Backstrom and Johansson are first and third, respectively, in points on the team and New Jersey's defense is not its saving grace anymore, having allowed the second most goals in the East.
C Nathan MacKinnon (63K), LW Gabriel Landeskog (51K), Mikko Rantanen (29K), Avalanche (at Stars): Dallas has some of the most high-powered scoring, but its most productive line is too expensive to string together. The Stars' one weakness is in net. Colorado has been a better road team than at home, and rookie Rantanen's low salary makes this an appealing contrarian lineup.
C Derek Stepan (55K), LW Chris Kreider (57K), RW Mats Zuccarello (53K), Rangers (at Coyotes): While the travel westward might cue the Rangers for a letdown, it's hard to be overly threatened by the Coyotes' goaltending. The top three scorers in New York's arsenal are all moderately priced and Stepan has six points in his last three games while Zuccarello is riding a four-game point streak.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET/BARGAIN: Sergei Bobrovsky (78K), Blue Jackets (at Jets): The Blue Jackets have won 13 straight in no small part due to Bobrovsky. The team has allowed only 68 goals on the season, the best mark in the league. Even on the road, Bobrovsky should garner a higher salary. He's 22-5-2 with a 1.91 GAA and .934 save percentage.
FADE: Mike Smith (110K), Coyotes (vs. Rangers): Smith's overall numbers, including a .924 save percentage, are not terrible, but the likelihood of a win is far from guaranteed against the road Rangers. At his salary, that uncertainty becomes too great a risk.
CONTRARIAN: Antoine Bibeau (89K), Maple Leafs (at Lightning): The price is high for someone getting his second career start, but he's not going to be on many people's radars. Bibeau put up an admirable line in his first start, stopping 26 of 28 shots against the Avalanche. Both squads played Wednesday, so fatigue could hinder both. The possibility of a lot of shots makes for plenty of save opportunities.
Bargain Plays
D T.J. Brodie (25K), Flames (vs. Ducks): Brodie has points in consecutive games and makes for a solid bargain basement alternative in order to spend big at forward. His offensive production seems to be turning around; five of his 13 points have come over his last six games.
LW Paul Byron (25K), Canadiens (at Panthers): Byron has emerged as a solid role player with point-scoring upside. He's still shooting at a higher percentage than seems sustainable, but he's no stranger to multi-point efforts. He's prone to empty lines as well, so consider him a tournament play.
RW Mikko Rantanen (29K), Avalanche (at Stars): Rantanen hasn't fully emerged as the sensation he projected to be, but has still become a productive member of the Avalanche's top line. The Stars, whether they start Antti Niemi or Kari Lehtonen, provide a solid matchup to reach his scoring potential, even if only for one night.
Top Fades
C Mark Scheifele (62K), Jets (vs. Blue Jackets): Scheifele is the most expensive skater on the Jets, and while he has earned that distinction with 32 points in 34 games, his chances against Bobrovsky are less than ideal.
D Shea Weber (55K), Canadiens (at Panthers): Despite scoring on Wednesday, Weber's offense has dried up considerably. He still makes up for it with his physical game, but if he's not putting the puck in the net, or helping others do so with regularity, he's not worth one of the top salaries at the position. Stay away until consistent scoring, or a drop in price, takes hold.
LW Taylor Hall (64K), Devils (at Capitals): Don't spend on a forward, albeit a talented one like Hall, on a poor offensive team facing one of the league's best goalies in Braden Holtby. The Devils are on the road and Holtby has three home shutouts, cruising to a 1.87 GAA and .926 save percentage in Washington.
Contrarian Options
LW Filip Forsberg (65K), Predators (vs. Blackhawks): Forsberg has been one of the top fantasy busts of 2016, but he's starting to turn things around. He has three goals (half his season total) in his last four games. Hampered by a poor shooting percentage, prospective owners may still be gun-shy and not buying into his resurgence.
RW Patrik Laine (47K), Jets (vs. Blue Jackets): While Scheifele should remain off-limits, Laine's lower salary makes him tempting. His 19 goals lead both his team and all rookies. Even facing one of the league's elite netminders, Laine should be considered for a spot. He comes cheap enough and has easy multi-point upside.
C John Tavares (74K), Islanders (at Wild): Tavares is slumping. After a three-game goal scoring streak, he has had only two points in seven games. Thursday, he winds up on the road facing Wild G Devan Dubnyk, he of the .947 save percentage. The price tag is too high, and few will trust him. Trust in past success, because he will be a tournament darling.
For the third straight season, NHL goalies are on pace to post the league's highest average in save percentage with a .915 mark.
Scoring continues to be at a premium, and, sure, we can blame coaches and tough defensive styles for that, but the No. 1 culprit is the men protecting the blue paint.
Yes, some players have been offensively deprived because of this, but for fans, that just means we have been treated to some miraculous stops.
Here are this year's top five saves:
5. Marc-Andre Fleury vs. Devils
Talk about waiting until the last minute.
Marc-Andre Fleury made one last case for save of the year on Tuesday night, with an acrobatic, midair swat against the New Jersey Devils.
It won't land him in first on the list, but very nice nonetheless.
4. Martin Jones vs. Canadiens
Martin Jones has been living on cloud nine the last two seasons.
Last year he joined the San Jose Sharks and in his first season led his club to the Stanley Cup Final. He has amassed the second most wins among all goalies since the start of last season and after seeing saves like this beauty on Alex Galchenyuk, is it any wonder why?
The 22-year-old stole the starting position away from Marc-Andre Fleury during last season's playoff run, he's done so again this season, and as we can see from this stop on Valtteri Filppula, larceny is Murray's forte.
2. Matt Murray vs. Islanders
Murray is also a repeat offender, just ask John Tavares.
The Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender turned in what came very close to be the save of the year this season when he took a sure thing away from the New York Islanders captain.
There's got to be a magnet in that glove right?
1. Petr Mrazek vs. Canadiens
It was arguably one of the greatest glove saves ever seen, so of course it tops the list.
Detroit Red Wings netminder Petr Mrazek welcomed Canadiens rookie Artturi Lehkonen to the NHL in the cruelest way possible this past November, robbing the young winger with a glove save that might stand the test of time.
Believe it or not, the Toronto Maple Leafs may have found a goalie. Finally.
After failing to employ a consistent No. 1 since the days of Ed Belfour, the Maple Leafs orchestrated a trade over the summer to acquire Frederik Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks, and quickly tabbed him as their go-to with a five-year, $25-million extension.
But, like the Andrew Raycrofts and Vesa Toskalas before him, Andersen's start in Toronto was a nightmare. Through his first five games, the 27-year-old owned an ugly .848 save percentage, allowing 22 goals along the way.
However, unlike those before him, Andersen bounced back in grand fashion.
In 24 games since a seven-goal shellacking versus Tampa Bay, Andersen boasts a .939 save percentage, a 2.07 goals-against average, and a 14-7-3 record. Pretty good.
The more you shrink it down, the better it gets.
Frederik Andersen has a .946 save percentage in his last 16 games. Only Dubnyk is better: .947.
Andersen has been busy, as the Leafs allow 32.8 shots per game, third highest in the NHL. For the season, though, he ranks seventh among all goalies in save percentage (.927).
For a young, high-scoring team like the Maple Leafs, improved goaltending was a necessity. Lately, Andersen has given Toronto a chance every night, and it's resulted in three straight wins and a move up the Eastern Conference standings.
The spotlight in Toronto has mostly been directed toward Auston Matthews and the Leafs' array of rookie talents, but without the play of Andersen, none of it would matter.
After a concussion sidelined Sidney Crosby for the first six games of the season, his assumed successor for the "greatest player in the world" title, Connor McDavid, begun his ascension to the top of the NHL's points race.
Now, just before the calendar turns to 2017, the two are deadlocked at the top.
Here's a look at what they've done so far:
Player
GP
G
A
P
GWG
TOI/G
S%
Crosby
31
26 (9)
16
42 (13)
3
19:05
24.3
McDavid
36
13 (1)
29
42 (12)
3
21:03
12.7
(x) Indicates power-play totals
Before Crosby had played a game, McDavid had jumped out to a nine-point cushion. That's quickly evaporated, largely in part to No. 87's scorching goal production.
Crosby is on pace for 64 goals, easily a career high, and the highest total in the NHL since Alex Ovechkin netted 65 in 2007-08.
McDavid, meanwhile, has been the catalyst for most of Edmonton's offense, but has slowed down a touch. After scoring 19 points in November, McDavid has just 11 points in 12 December games.
So, that said, who do you pick?
If both Crosby and McDavid play every remaining game on their respective schedules, at their current paces, the totals favor No. 87.
Crosby's league-leading points-per-game rate (1.35) projects him to score 102 points over 76 games, while McDavid's (1.17) puts him on pace for just under 96 in 82 contests.
Keep in mind, the 90-point threshold has been surpassed only twice in the past three seasons. This season's stretch run is shaping up to be an entertaining one.
With more than half the season still to play, streaks and projections will trend toward both ends of the spectrum. But as long as both Crosby and McDavid - the sport's two biggest names - are healthy and competing, NHL fans are in for a treat.
