Comparing Maple Leafs’ Goaltending Before 2023 Playoffs to 2022

The Toronto Maple Leafs will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Leafs will be looking to get revenge, as they fell to Tampa Bay last year in seven games.

The playoff push for Toronto this season is about as important of one as any of recent memory, as another first-round exit could lead to a major personnel shakeup.

With that being said, let’s compare how the Maple Leafs looked last year to this year heading into the playoffs at the most important position: goalie.

What did the Maple Leafs look like at goalie before the playoffs in 2022?

The Leafs’ number one goaltender for the playoffs last year was Jack Campbell. Campbell had only seven career playoff games before last season, and it was the series in which Toronto blew a 3-1 lead to Montreal.

Campbell’s playoff experience was in question last season, even though he posted a 31-9-6 record and a .914 save percentage in the regular season. The doubts about Campbell not having the playoff experience came true again, as the Leafs fell in seven games, as stated above.

All other goalies that were in Toronto’s rotation were not going to get a shot. Campbell was the clear and only hope. That’s not something you want come playoff time, but that’s what the Leafs had, and it was a part of the reason they lost.

What do the Maple Leafs look like at goalie before the playoffs in 2023?

Toronto has a lot more certainty in playoff experience with this tandem than last year’s with Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov. Below is what these two have done in the playoffs in their careers.

Matt Murray: Murray definitely has the pedigree and experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s won two Stanley Cups (2016, 2017) with Pittsburgh in the past and has played in 51 career playoff games.

That experience will massively help Toronto in the playoffs, but with Murray going down with a head injury, it’s likely his counterpart starts Game 1 of the playoffs.

Ilya Samsonov: Samsonov has less playoff success than Murray, but solid stats. He’s played in eight career playoff games and posted a .907 save percentage. Samsonov is looking like the Game 1 starter for Toronto due to Matt Murray’s head injury, so he will be put to the test.

If Toronto makes it further in the playoffs, Murray getting back healthy and Samsonov playing will be key if Toronto wants to go anywhere.

The tandem of Murray and Samsonov clearly beats out Campbell. When you have a goaltender who has won two Stanley Cups and another with good playoff numbers over a guy who hasn’t won a round, that’s a massive improvement.

All the pieces are there for Toronto to finally win a round. Now, it’s up to them.