Penguins Expertly Handled Murray-Fleury Situation in Back-to-Back Cup Years

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray has accomplished more in 15 months than most accomplish in a career.

The 23-year-old became the first goaltender in NHL history to win two Stanley Cups as a rookie, leading the Pens to back-to-back championships with another stellar performance in Pittsburgh's Game 6 victory over Nashville on Sunday night. Not only did Murray—who only played in 13 regular-season games in 2015-16 and retained rookie status this season—become the first freshman netminder to win two Cups, he also became the first since Terry Sawchuk in 1952 to lock up a title with two straight shutouts.

To say Murray has had a dream start to his NHL career would be the understatement of the year. The Thunder Bay, Ontario, product was recalled from the AHL late last season and took over as the team's starter during the Penguins' first-round matchup against the Rangers after a late-season injury to Marc-Andre Fleury. All the then-21-year-old did was post a 15-6 record with a .937 save percentage while taking down the Rangers, Capitals, Lightning, and Sharks en route to the franchise's fourth Cup title.

Poised to take the starting gig from Fleury at the start of this season, Murray put up an exceptional 32-10 record and was the team's expected starter going into the playoffs until suffering a lower-body injury during warmups of the opening game against Columbus. Fleury took over and led the team through the first two rounds until Murray was called upon to reclaim his starting spot after Ottawa torched Fleury for four goals on nine shots in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final.

Murray then went on to post a 7-3 record with a .937 save percentage in 11 games played against the Senators and Preds—proving head coach Mike Sullivan's tough decision to make a mid-playoff goaltending switch the right one. It wasn't the first time Sullivan has found himself in this spot.

Fleury carried the team for the majority of the 2015-16 season, but suffered a concussion just a week before the playoffs, forcing Sullivan to go with his rookie for the first two rounds. The veteran Fleury eventually took over for a shaky Murray in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final and played the next one as well, but after an overtime loss Sullivan didn't hesitate to tweak on the fly. He turned to Murray again and never looked back as he pulled all the right strings with his goalies en route to a Cup in his first year as head coach . The fact he had to do it again a year later and it worked out masterfully speaks to both his prowess as a coach, and the makeup of both goalies.

Fleury's professionalism and team-first persona was summarized perfectly on Sunday night, when he handed the Cup directly to Murray after taking his turn with it. The overall impact that Fleury has had in the Penguins' crease is far from lost on Murray, who has credited his senior goalie for helping him excel at the top level.

As great as Murray's been, Fleury's contributions, both on the ice and in the dressing room, to the team's last two Stanley Cup seasons can't be overlooked. The 32-year-old went 35-17-6 with a .921/2.29 during the 2015-16 regular season and put the Pens on a prime path toward the Cup. This campaign, he was exceptional against the Blue Jackets in Round 1 and even more so against the Capitals in the second round where he posted a .921 save percentage and a Game 7 shutout against a high-powered Washington club before Murray took the job back the next round.

This situation could have turned ugly as a result of the flip-flop between the two as the No. 1 starter in consecutive years, but by all accounts both handled it well and refused to let their egos become a detriment to the team. Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford deserves credit for not striking an in-season trade for the veteran Fleury, while this was another example of Sullivan proving how much a coach can make a difference with his exceptional handling of his goalie tandem's workload.

The Penguins have had the luxury of having two unselfish, star goaltenders on their roster the past two seasons, and they've unequivocally maximized their returns by keeping both for their back-to-back titles. Without them, Pittsburgh wouldn't be the first team in nearly 20 years to repeat as Cup champions.

Both Fleury and Murray have played different yet equally important roles in the team's last two Stanley Cup championships, and Rutherford's choice to keep the pair of premier netminders despite numerous trade offers proved to be one of the smartest executive decisions in the history of the franchise. It's fitting that with Fleury likely moving to another club with the expansion draft looming that the 2003 No. 1 overall pick—who has called Pittsburgh home his whole career—can walk away as a key piece to the Penguins' third Cup title since he arrived.

In goal, behind the bench, and in the front office, your team is in good hands for a long time to come, Pittsburgh.