Senators place Murray on waivers

The Ottawa Senators are waiving goaltender Matt Murray, head coach D.J. Smith confirmed Saturday.

Smith said the Senators would likely assign the netminder to their AHL affiliate if he goes unclaimed.

Murray is earning $6 million in salary this season and his contract carries a $6.25-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. He's in the second campaign of the four-year, $25-million pact he inked with Ottawa after the team acquired him in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 27-year-old wasn't one of the Senators' two goalies dressed for Friday's loss to the Anaheim Ducks. He allowed four goals on 27 shots in a 6-3 defeat at the hands of the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

Murray has yet to earn a victory in 2021-22, going 0-5-0 with a .890 save percentage over six games. His -0.69 goals saved above expected and -0.53 goals saved above average at five-on-five this season rank 39th and 42nd in the NHL, respectively. according to Evolving Hockey.

Senators goalies have struggled as a group in this campaign, as Smith lamented Wednesday, but Murray was expected to provide stability in the crease given his experience and contract. The seven-year veteran won the Stanley Cup twice with the Penguins but disappointed in his final season with Pittsburgh, and that poor play has carried over to his Ottawa tenure.

Murray is 10-18-1 with an .892 save percentage in 33 games with the Senators since joining them in October 2020.

Ottawa also claimed forward Adam Gaudette off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Gaudette collected a goal and an assist across eight contests with the Blackhawks in 2021-22 after posting one marker and three helpers over seven games with Chicago last season. He spent parts of four campaigns with the Vancouver Canucks before they traded him to the Blackhawks in April.