Matt Murray's Glove Hand

EightyOne

My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
Nov 23, 2016
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Murray's "supposed weak glove hand" was pointed out in the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 vs San Jose by (it was one of Maguire, Keith Jones or Mike Milbury). These are the stats from the following season:
  • Braden Holtby: 44.5% of goals scored glove side
  • Marc-André Fleury: 35.5%
  • Matt Murray: 34.2%
  • Pekka Rinne: 32%
  • Henrik Lundqvist: 28.5%

Yet the graphic SHOWS what glove side means. It's top shelf by and large.

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ImporterExporter

"You're a boring old man"
Jun 18, 2013
18,780
7,807
Oblivion Express
I honestly believe that a lot of folks are too entrenched in their position to have any meaningful debate.

It's the MAF effect. So easy to define.

Those who won't budge on Murray almost surely were the biggest MAF haters. Giving any ground on Murray (even if he continues to falter) is like saying "well, shit, we might have been wrong".

And you can say the same thing about MAF supporters. They have, even if just a little bit, of resentment towards Murray so seeing him struggle "validates" their negative position.
 
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Shwag33

Registered User
May 27, 2008
6,107
371
As a pro murray guy, I can accept the argument he carries his glove too low. I can also accept that he doesn't squeeze pucks nearly as well as he should and gives up some rebounds because of it.

What I can't stand though is the rifles from the top of the slot that go bar down over the glove and people lose their shit saying murray's glove is weak. No goalie can stop those shots. They either hit them or not, no one reacts that fast. People just remember MAF flashing the leather, but if you ever watch the slow mo of those flashes, the puck is in his glove long before he even moves his arm.
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
55,519
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As a pro murray guy, I can accept the argument he carries his glove too low. I can also accept that he doesn't squeeze pucks nearly as well as he should and gives up some rebounds because of it.

What I can't stand though is the rifles from the top of the slot that go bar down over the glove and people lose their **** saying murray's glove is weak. No goalie can stop those shots. They either hit them or not, no one reacts that fast. People just remember MAF flashing the leather, but if you ever watch the slow mo of those flashes, the puck is in his glove long before he even moves his arm.

Yeah, I agree Murray has room for improvement and that glove hand is probably up there at the top of the list. But folks will blame him even for those perfectly placed shots that beat literally every goalie in hockey.

Look at Holtby's two "highlight reel" saves last night. Both were along the ice. It's not like Holtby's snaring these top shelf laser beams all night long.
 
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Pens1566

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
18,377
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Yeah, I agree Murray has room for improvement and that glove hand is probably up there at the top of the list. But folks will blame him even for those perfectly placed shots that beat literally every goalie in hockey.

Look at Holtby's two "highlight reel" saves last night. Both were along the ice. It's not like Holtby's snaring these top shelf laser beams all night long.

And Holtby's save on Jake was more of him shooting it into the pad than Holtby making a save.

2 of the goals on Murray's high glove were absolute rockets into the absolute corner. He saves those, it's a highlight reel the other way.
 
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WayneSid9987

Registered User
Nov 24, 2009
30,053
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Leave him be. The kid is fine.

Pretty confident he can get back to league average.
It's just a matter of how quickly he does it.

Good thing is this team right now just needs league average. If Murr/Jarrs/DeSmith can't provide that theres plenty of ways to go to bring in a capable vet(trade/waiver wire pick up).
 
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gopens66

Hop in the Cordoba, Baby, we're goin' bowlin!
May 25, 2006
3,464
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Altoona,Pa
As someone who also lost their father last year, I think this was his biggest distraction last season. Let's give the kid some time and see how it goes. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who can't learn once he's made a name for himself.
 
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WheresRamziAbid

Registered User
Oct 31, 2013
7,183
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If your glove is high, when you drop to butterfly, a huge hole emerges between your high glove and the top edge of the pads. It's not quite mathematically the same no matter what.

Also, waving my arm around right now, quick motion up seems more natural than a quick motion down.

Not only is up more natural but there is no second guessing. If you hedge in the middle you lose half a second figuring out which way to react. If you keep the glove low its always up.
 

Tom Hanks

Spelling mistakes brought to you by my iPhone.
Nov 10, 2017
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Maybe he needs a new goalie coach for what to do with his glove hand.........

giphy.gif
 
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canadianguy77

Registered User
Apr 20, 2006
20,458
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More than whatever glove issue he may have, is that he's too skinny. Vasilevsky is like 25 pounds heavier than Matty is. Not saying that Murray should play at that weight, but that he would make his job a lot easier if he weighed like 20 pounds more than he does now.

If he can work on that without sacrificing agility or athleticism, then this organization might finally have a goalie who is consistently in the Vezina chatter.
 

Ragamuffin Gunner

Lost in the Flood
Aug 15, 2008
34,551
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Boston
Not a popular opinion, but I think he got figured out and has been repeatedly exploited, and he's been incapable of adjusting. Between that and the numerous injuries that he has had in a short period of time, I thought there were plenty of red flags there that indicated we should have sold high on him and went with the proven veteran, but that's not anything anyone wants to hear. I won't be surprised if Jarry eventually supplants him and we move on. Would love to be proven wrong. But I'm not optimistic
My thoughts on MAF are pretty well known and even so, keeping MM was the correct decision. He's cheaper, a decade younger and at the time was a top tier goalie. Hopefully the injuries and his glove don't become too much to overcome.
 
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Honour Over Glory

Fire Sully
Jan 30, 2012
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There is no scenario in which keeping MAF over Murray is the right choice.

The only dumb choice has been the lack of a veteran back-up to mentor Murray.
 

EightyOne

My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
Nov 23, 2016
12,697
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There is no scenario in which keeping MAF over Murray is the right choice.

The only dumb choice has been the lack of a veteran back-up to mentor Murray.

HoG, Rags is actually saying keeping Murray was correct. Unless you are referring to someone else's post?



Murray needs help. What or who. Not sure. Counseling? Training? Someone who is ready to take over if he falters...that could keep him sharp.

I still feel he’s Cam Ward 2.0 but time will tell.

Is that an insult?

Wins Losses OT
31924484
[TFOOT] [/TFOOT]
Career .909 save %.

Mind you, Ward has mostly played for a Carolina team that has been mostly garbage. With like 3 years of the owners giving a shit.
 
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EightyOne

My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
Nov 23, 2016
12,697
12,034
@EightyOne I was agreeing with him and making sure people that think we should have kept MAF are wrong.

They're wong. So wrong they should feel bad.

BAD.

Shit. Are the FB yinzer crowds not moved on? I didnt realize anyone still held this argument, honestly. lol
 

EightyOne

My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
Nov 23, 2016
12,697
12,034
lol....well...lucky they are Pens fans then, if they had to watch the other ACTUAL shit tenders in the league, theyd really blow a coronary!
 

Ginormousthumbs

Registered User
Jul 7, 2013
6,665
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West Side
HoG, Rags is actually saying keeping Murray was correct. Unless you are referring to someone else's post?



Murray needs help. What or who. Not sure. Counseling? Training? Someone who is ready to take over if he falters...that could keep him sharp.



Is that an insult?

Wins Losses OT
31924484
[TFOOT] [/TFOOT]
Career .909 save %.

Mind you, Ward has mostly played for a Carolina team that has been mostly garbage. With like 3 years of the owners giving a ****.

Not an insult. Just a comparison in the sense that they both won Cups right away. Cam had success early on but seemed to be average after that. I’m sure some of that was like you said about the owners.
 
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EightyOne

My posts are jokes. And hockey is just a game.
Nov 23, 2016
12,697
12,034
Not an insult. Just a comparison in the sense that they both won Cups right away. Cam had success early on but seemed to be average after that. I’m sure some of that was like you said about the owners.

Ah yeah. I mean hey, shit, although they missed out on some deep playoffs runs, the Pens have done real well with just a slightly above average goaltender for the last 15 years. I am sure even if Murray is average, the team can rise above.

I'd rather have a consistently average guy than a wildly unreliable tender. We'll see. This year and the next couple will really spell it out.
 

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