Matt Murray Makes Surprise Appearance at Maple Leafs' Practice

Watch the video of the veteran goalie on the ice, in which we see him blocking a few shots, from Mark Masters, via an Instagram post on Leafslatest, here:

If Murray gets closer to a return, the possiblity of seeing four goalies in Toronto would certainly be causing debates among the fanbase. After a lot of people thought that he would retire, seeing Murray back with the Leafs would be great.

However, the Leafs don't need four activated goalies, especially this close to the playoffs. There's no doubts that Samsonov or Woll should get most of the starts before the end of the season and in the playoffs. Even if Murray was healthy enough to get back, would it really be the best strategy to activate him, with three other talented goalies already available?

While both Woll and Samsonov got their fair share of struggles this season, with a lot of ups and downs, they remain the best option if the Leafs want to win.

Also, let's not forget about the incredible prospect between the Marlies' pipes: Dennis Hildeby. While it would be surprising to see him in the NHL this season, we bet that the Leafs' management would prefer seeing him on the ice instead of Murray, in case of injuries. We're not saying he's ready to play in the NHL, even less in the playoffs, but considering that he's already established himself in the organization as a future top goalie, getting that experience would be extremely beneficial for him.

Although the chances are that the only playoff hockey that Hildeby will see this season will be with the Marlies. Currently fifth in their division, they are in a position to make the playoffs this year, but the race is far from over and could still fall short if they're not careful.

More to come.