The first round of the NHL draft saw just two trades and no players moved Tuesday night.
Things got off to a roaring start before the second round even got underway Wednesday morning.
The Ottawa Senators acquired goalie Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward prospect Jonathan Gruden and 52nd pick in this year’s draft.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh, the 26-year-old Murray ranks third all-time on the Penguins with 117 career victories and sits third with 11 shutout wins.
The rebuilding Senators needed to address their crease after the team announced last month it wouldn’t be offering a contract to 39-year-old Craig Anderson, Ottawa’s all-time wins leader.
Murray is set to become a restricted free agent on Friday after completing a three-year, US$11.25-million contract.
After the trade, the Senators still had eight picks remaining in the draft, including three second-round selections and two third-rounder after grabbing forward Tim Stützle at No. 3, defenceman Jake Sanderson at No. 5 and centre Ridly Greig at No. 28 on Tuesday.
“The acquisition of Matt Murray represents an important addition to our lineup,” Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “He’s a proven goaltender who has considerable high-pressure experience and someone who we’re certain will serve as a exceptional mentor to our young group of upcoming goaltenders.”
A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Murray was selected 83rd overall by Pittsburgh in the 2012 NHL draft. Over 199 career games, he has a record of 117-53-19, a 2.67 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Murray has also appeared in 51 career playoff contests, registering 29 victories.
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