With guidance from Ben Bishop, Matt Murray aims for breakout season

Maybe the best news for Matt Murray is that he has some pretty good role models in the Stars organization.
The 24-year-old goalie is ready to take the step from UMass Amherst to become a full time professional. In doing so, he'll get guidance from former Stars goalie Ben Bishop, who made the transition from college in 2008 and Jake Oettinger, who forged a similar path in 2019.

Maybe the second-best news for Murray is he seems more than ready to take on the challenge.
In a short stint in the AHL last season, Murray was 5-1-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average and .947 save percentage with the Texas Stars.
"It was a great introduction to his career," said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. "He understands what's required from him. That's what I like about him. There's a level of maturity. He doesn't take anything for granted, and you can see it in his preparation every day."
Murray just finished up a stint at Stars development camp and will likely be the team's No. 1 goalie in the AHL. He said he knows he must prove himself, and that's one of the reasons the team is so optimistic about his future.
"I think everything is earned," he said. "What I was able to do last year was great, but it was last year."
The Stars currently have three goalies under NHL contracts in Oettinger, Scott Wedgewood and Anton Khudobin. Khudobin missed much of last season with injuries but is expected to be ready for training camp. Would he or Wedgewood go to the AHL if need be? Will Murray have competition from another goalie? It's all a possibility, but the fact the team has a solid prospect like Murray makes things a little easier.

Graham said he was very impressed with the 6-foot-1, 194-pound netminder who was 21-12-2 for the Minutemen last season with a 2.31 GAA and .917 save percentage.
"He's very efficient," Graham said. "He's not a 6-foot-6 goalie. He understands his movements quite well. He's very quiet in net. He knows how to play to his strengths. He's even keel. We were very impressed with how he carried himself in goal."
Murray said he took his good numbers in stride at the AHL level. "I didn't surprise myself," he said. "I think I surprised everybody else, but I know what I'm capable of. That's what I'm trying to prove every day."
Murray said he's ready for the next step, and that helps a lot. He said he learned quite a bit while juggling hockey and college but added that the schedule was limited, and the travel was short.
"I think the biggest challenge will be the travel and the games played," he said. "In Hockey East, there wasn't too much travel, and we don't play a whole lot. So, it will be a transition, but it's something I'm ready for."
As for being a full-time pro, that's actually a dream, he said.
"I think it's a good different," he said. "I've wanted hockey to be my job for my entire life, so I'm ready for that to finally be the case. It's exactly where I want to be. Living away from home in college has been good preparation for me, so I think it won't be too much of an adjustment."

Helping along will be Bishop, who was forced to stop playing last season because of injury and is now trying to find his place in the hockey world. He was on the ice during development camp and is expected to be around to talk to all the Stars goalies next season.
"Learn as much as you can from anybody and everybody," Murray said. "Earlier in camp, we had Ben out with us and it was amazing just getting to pick his brain and get an understanding of everything he knows."
Graham said he sees just how important that can be.
"Having a guy like Bish around is great," he said. "You want to be a sponge. He's won it at the highest level and he's approachable."
And that means Murray's in a very good place.
"I think it's a mixture of clarity and hunger," Murray said of where he is in his career. "I know what I have to do."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.