Goaltender Mike Murphy says he is leaving the Carolina Hurricanes organization to play professional hockey in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Murphy, 23, announced his intentions today via Twitter, saying he was "KHL/Russia bound next season." He later confirmed it, although the name of the KHL team has not been released.
Murphy was drafted by the Canes in 2008 and spent the past three seasons in the American Hockey League -- the first season with the Albany River Rats and the past two with the Charlotte Checkers. The Kingston, Ont., native made his NHL debut -- and made NHL history -- this past season and played in two games with the Canes.
Ron Francis, the Canes' director of hockey operations, said Murphy's decision took the team by surprise and called it disappointing. Murphy is a restricted free agent and his rights will be retained by the Hurricanes.
Murphy was 18-15-2 with the Checkers this season, with a 2.74 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
Called up by the Canes in early December after goalie Brian Boucher was injured, Murphy made his NHL debut in relief of Cam Ward in a 7-6 loss to the Calgary Flames. Murphy, who did not allow a goal, was pulled for an extra attacker late in the game and was at the bench when Jarome Iginla scored an empty-net goal with 1:09 left in regulation to push the Flames' lead to 7-4. But the Canes' Chad LaRose and Eric Staal both scored in the final minute, making Iginla's goal the winner - and Murphy the losing goalie.
Canes officials checked with the Elias Sports Bureau, which confirmed Murphy was the first NHL goalie to lose a game before allowing his first goal.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/12/08/1697138/murphy-makes-history-in-debut.html#storylink=cpy
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at
Comments
Not Sure
Wed, 05/23/2012 - 10:41 — spookyalfI don't know if it is a log jam in goalies as to why he is leaving. Remember when Peters was told he would be Ward's back up and instead of giving him a one way deal, they gave him a two way deal. If you are told that you are going to backup Ward, then a one-way deal should have been signed and not a two-way. IMO a two-way deal is a slap in the face saying we want you here, but are not confident enough in your abilities to stay up the full season. Again, that is my opinion.
The Canes have been signing veteran goalies in hopes of getting a good back up. I think they do this because, we are one of the few NHL teams that don't play the back up, and let Ward carry the load for the majority of the season. By the time Ward gets a well deserved break, we are so far in the season, and the back up has only played once or twice, if he's lucky four times.
By our track record of how often backups are played, I honestly don't fault him at all by signing and going to the KHL. You can only develop so much in the AHL until you hit a brick wall and cannot develop anymore. This will give him that chance to develop. Like Osala, he wants to play in the NHL, and if they can't, then the KHL is the next best thing for them.
Also maybe implies he's
Wed, 05/23/2012 - 10:18 — HockeydogAlso maybe implies he's worried about that big goaltending prospect the Canes have in Europe passing him by. He'll likely stay in KHL and Europe until his rights are traded to a team he thinks has less of a goalie logjam.
Implies that Peters
Tue, 05/22/2012 - 15:48 — ctillImplies that Peters will be signed to a new contract.