Could Sergei Murashov Be the Penguins’ Next Matt Murray?
Heading into the NHL Playoffs, the biggest question mark with the Pittsburgh Penguins roster is undoubtedly their goaltending. Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner have been good enough to get the Penguins into the dance this season, but will they be good enough to steal a game or two in a series? History says that the answer is actually yes.
Back in 2024, Silovs posted his first career shutout in a playoff game for the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, Stuart Skinner was the starting netminder for an Oilers team that went to the Final in back-to-back seasons. Today, the spotlight shines on a different goalie.
Enter Sergei Murashov . At this point, it may be difficult to remember now, but in 2016, then-rookie Matt Murray made some heroic actions. Murray filled in for an injured and, in some cases, underperforming Marc-Andre Fleury and did a wonderful job, helping the team lift the Stanley Cup.
Murashov, who is currently with the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, seems to be in a similar situation to Murray. Resemblance in the Numbers Before Fleury’s injury , Murray was in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, as Jeff Zatkoff was the NHL backup behind Fleury. As a 21-year-old, Murray won 20 of his 31 games in the AHL, good for a 64% win percentage.
In Murashov’s age-21 season (he turned 22 on April 1st), he won 23 of his 36 games, a 64% win percentage. Murashov was brought up to the NHL roster to serve as a backup for a game, with Stuart Skinner unable to go due to an eye injury . However, Murashov would not appear in the game, as Silovs would get the nod, and Murashov’s recall was merely to have a backup goalie.