Fresh starts, new teams and calling it a career: Busy summer for northwestern Ontario's NHLers
Matt Murray dealt to Toronto, Staals headed to Florida, Duncan Keith and Carter Hutton retire
It's been a summer of change for many National Hockey League players who have roots in northwestern Ontario.
Between one blockbuster trade, contract signings and retirements, five players have had major developments in their careers over the last couple of weeks.
And we've wrapped up the developments here in one place to get you caught up on hot stove season.
Murray brings Cup-winning pedigree to Maple Leafs
Two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Matt Murray is packing his bags and moving to Toronto after being traded by Ottawa Senators. The 28-year-old from Thunder Bay joins a Maple Leafs team that had to address the goaltender position, with their two primary netminders from last season not returning.
Murray, who had been dealt to Ottawa by Pittsburgh Penguins under two years ago, could use the fresh start.
Despite having a contract that puts him in the top five for NHL goalies in average annual value, Murray has dealt with several injury issues and struggled with consistency, leading to a brief demotion to the American Hockey League last season.
Murray said the Maple Leafs were his favourite childhood team, and during his introductory news conference, he recalled watching games with his late father.
"I'm extremely motivated," Murray said last week.
"I have a lot to prove."
Key decision-makers within the Maple Leafs, including general manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe, are familiar with Murray from their time together with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League in the early 2010s.
Even though those Cup runs were five and six years ago, Murray brings a proven playoff track record to a team that has dropped its first-round playoff series in each of the last six seasons.
Staal brothers Florida bound
The two eldest Staal brothers could once again be teammates, but this time in the Sunshine State.
Blueliner Marc Staal signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers, while older brother Eric signed a professional tryout offer with the same team.
Marc Staal, 35, had spent the past two campaigns with Detroit Red Wings after the first 13 years of his NHL career played out in the Big Apple with the New York Rangers.
Eric Staal, who will turn 38 in the fall, spent the most recent season out of the NHL, captaining Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Each of the brothers has suited up for over 1,000 career NHL regular-season games.
The two have been teammates in the NHL before — briefly — for part of 2016, when Eric was acquired by the Rangers at the trade deadline.
Keith hangs up his skates
Duncan Keith, who spent part of his childhood growing up in Fort Frances, Ont., last week announced the end to his playing career.
"I still love the game, always will," Keith said during his retirement news conference, as he sat with son Colton by his side.
"But with getting older … and the thought of being around my son more, and being around him and his hockey — being able to help my brother coach our boys and my niece — the more it got closer to that, the more excited about it I became."
Chicago's NHL team drafted Keith 20 years ago, and he spent 16 of his 17 NHL seasons with the club before playing the last year with Edmonton Oilers.
Keith won the Stanley Cup on three occasions with Chicago, bringing hockey's Holy Grail back to Fort Frances in 2015. During his career, he captured a pair of Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, and was a two-time Norris Trophy winner recognizing the league's top defenceman.
Hutton wraps up underdog career
Thunder Bay goalie Carter Hutton, who persevered and forged his own path to the NHL, also announced his retirement.
Hutton, who played Junior A hockey in the Superior International Junior Hockey League instead of being at the major junior level, went undrafted by NHL teams and went on to play collegiately at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in the U.S.
After his NCAA playing days, he joined the professional ranks and worked his way through the minor league system before ultimately making his NHL debut with Chicago in 2013.
Hutton ended up appearing in 235 career NHL regular season games with five different teams, recording 94 wins and 13 shutouts.