Glen Murray has been battling injures and a scoring slump, but he always faces the music.
(FILE/MIKE BLAKE/Reuters)
WILMINGTON - No one envisions Glen Murray, his offensive touch slowly coming around, running off with the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. As of yesterday, that was more the domain of Messrs. Vincent Lecavalier, Henrik Zetterberg, and Sidney Crosby.
However, the 35-year-old Murray, the closest thing the Bruins have to a power forward, is closing the season's opening quarter on a relative high. Still far from playing at the level of four seasons ago, when he had a career-high 92 points, he now has points in three straight games (2-3 -5), including a key assist in Tuesday's 4-2 win at Toronto.
"I feel a little lighter . . . in the mind," said the amenable Murray, who, prior to potting a pair of goals in Saturday's wild affair in Montreal, had gone 13 straight games without a goal. "I want to be helping out, obviously. I'm trying to work my way through it, and I was taught that the only way to do that is to work my butt off . . . it's the only way you get out of it."
Murray's fitness level is not in question. Although somewhat of a senior citizen on the hockey career time line, the strapping 6-foot-3-inch winger perennially comes to training camp ripped 'n ready. This September was no exception.
But age catches up to everyone - even if Bobby Orr still looks closer to 40 than 60 - and in Murray's case, Father Time has not been a kind dance partner. In fact, Father Time has fox-trotted over Murray's feet in recent years, especially his right foot.
"Yeah, I have messed-up feet, but that's kind of part of the job, you know," said Murray, typically stoic about anything, such as injury, that could be interpreted as an excuse for subpar production. "You ask around, a lot of guys who've played a long time have problems with their feet. That's just the way it is."
Not to be insensitive, but the outside of Murray's right ankle protrudes to such an extreme it's hard to believe he can jam his foot inside a conventional skate boot. According to Murray, he has been "up the hill" to Mass. General Hospital, where foot specialist Dr. George Theodore has told him that ankle surgery is likely in his future.
"Something to do with the bursar sac," explained Murray. "In my case, there's a lot of scar tissue around it, and it has built up and built up. [Theodore] tells me he's seen a lot worse, and part of the discussion we've had has been about surgery - when to have it, and stuff. The thing is, while I'm playing, he believes, even with surgery, it probably will just keep growing back."
Murray also had to miss significant time with a bone bruise in the same foot ("It's always the right foot," he said). The bruise, sustained in the lockout season, took weeks to heal, management explaining at the time that the bruise was so severe it was tantamount to having a fracture. Yesterday, Murray also referred to "another bone in there, too" that has caused difficulties in recent years.
"No question," he said, staring down at his right foot as he sat in the dressing room after practice, "it has taken a beating through the years."
Despite a right foot that sometimes feels like two left feet, Murray is starting to step up his performance once again. Out of the lockout, he signed a four-year, $16.6 million deal, and in the past two seasons he has averaged 26 goals and 49 points. Now 3-8 -11 in 19 games, he is on pace for 47 points, albeit with only 13 goals. There is no question the Bruins need him to find the net more than 13 times if they are going to contend for a playoff berth.
"He's worked hard enough," said coach Claude Julien. "Getting a couple of goals in Montreal I think helped his confidence. I think the last two games, overall, he's more confident. And 90 percent of the game is mental . . . it can make a big difference."
His offensive frustration seemingly on the wane, Murray figures he might not have been working hard enough these last few weeks. He also believes luck, or lack of it, has factored in the equation. A blend of both now, he hopes, will bring better results over the remaining 63 games.
"Just have to keep working, keep at it," he said. "Keep working, and I'll get my chances, because I know Savvy [Marc Savard] will get me the puck."
Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
