Menu
BRETT MURRAY SEASON IN REVIEW

BRETT MURRAY: SEASON IN REVIEW

Jun 21, 2023

Brett Murray tallied career-highs in his fourth season with the Rochester Americans. The forward recorded 23 goals and 26 assists in a team-leading 71 games played this season.

"Any time you get a career-high is a pretty nice feeling," Murray said in his end-of-season interview. "And to help the team and oragnization and put a banner in the rafters is also a very special thing."

Murray started his season strong, scoring five goals through the first 10 games. He scored two goals in 1:51 to complete an Amerks comeback over the Providence Bruins on November 23, and scored the overtime game-winner (his third point of the night!) against the Bridgeport Islanders on November 25.

That was only the beginning for Brett Murray, but it was certainly a hot start. Murray was paired on a line with Michael Mersch and Mason Jobst for the majority of the second half of the season, and their line was highly productive.

Murray tallied 29 points after March 1, Mersch added 25, and Jobst added 29. The trio logged big minutes for the Amerks, flowing right into the Calder Cup Playoffs.

"I think we all sort of brought a little something different play style-wise that meshed very well," he explaiend. "I think Merschy and I are pretty similar players when it comes to the way we think the game and the way we play."

"To have guys you can read off of, and you know what they're going to do and you know how they're going to play, where they're going to be, it meshed really well."

Murray recorded his 100th AHL point on January 7 and suited up in his 200th AHL game on April 5. Last season, he logged 19 games with the Buffalo Sabres, but there just weren't nearly as many call-ups this season.

"Everyone's goal is to play at the highest level you can play at, and that's just the way it goes sometimes," he said. "I'll use it as fuel to have a good offseason and come back and not have to rely on someone going down."

Murray remained positive, despite the lack of call-ups, which is impressive during a long season. "It's fun, and it gives you energy," Appert said of the effect call-ups have on an AHL locker room. "Even if it's not you, it gives you belief and hope because you're right there."

Murray was certainly right there. According to Appert, "he's the best he's ever been in his career."

"The most consistent. The most physically engaged. Look what he does now: he's first line, physical presence, power play, he's penalty killing."

Appert added that he didn't think Murray would be a penalty-killer two years ago, when he arrived in Rochester, but now he's a driver of the team in multiple areas of the ice. His teammates, and the culture they leadership group has created, made it easier.

"You've probably gotten similar answers from everyone so far," Murray laughed when asked about the team. "But you don't really get a locker room that bonds so much and comes together and plays so hard for the guy next to them. It was a really special thing to be a part of."

It's special because often, you're competing against the guy next to you for a job. "It's a business, right?" Murray continued. "I think one thing that really set thsi team apart from other teams is that we didn't look at is as that's a teammate, he signed his contract, and we're just playing for the same team."

"We became friends, and I was just playing hockey with my 23 closest buddies."

That bond off the ice translated to chemistry and success on the ice, and saw this team playing hockey in June. Murray added four goals and six assists in his 14 Calder Cup Playoff games this season, also career-highs.

He tallied a three-point effort in Game 3 against the Syracuse Crunch, which ignited the Amerks' seven-game postseason win streak. He recorded at least a point in every game of the North Division Finals against the Toronto Marlies, and extended his point streak to four games with the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

It was exciting to see him — and his linemates — step up and find success in the postseason after an incredible playoff push late in the season. This was the most successful season for Brett Murray on the scoresheet, and a special one to be a part of.

Brett Murray is a restriced free agent. All offseason signings can be tracked on the 2023 Player Tracker.

Back to All