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Abbotsford Canucks sign pair of players

AHL team adds goalie Joe Murdaca and defenceman Matt Murphy to PTO agreements
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The Abbotsford Canucks have signed goalie Joe Murdaca and defenceman Matt Murphy to PTO agreements. (Abbotsford Canucks photo)

The Abbotsford Canucks have signed a pair of players to professional try out agreements.

The American Hockey League announced the signings of defenceman Matt Murphy and goalie Joe Murdaca on Monday (Jan. 17) morning.

Abbotsford’s goalie situation remains up in the air, with both Spencer Martin and Michael DiPietro added to the Vancouver Canucks taxi squad last week. It leaves just one goalie currently signed for the club. The status of both Martin and DiPietro will likely remain unchanged for at least the next week, as Vancouver goalie Jaroslav Halak entered COVID protocol over the weekend.

Abbotsford signed goalie Matt Zenzola to fill out the roster on Saturday (Jan. 15) and Murdaca joins the club from the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL, where he has recorded one victory and a .929 save percentage in one start this season.

The 6-3, 187-pound goaltender has appeared in eight career ECHL games over the past three seasons with the Adirondack Thunder, Wheeling Nailers, Cincinnati Cyclones, Kansas City Mavericks and the Atlanta Gladiators. Through his eight appearances in the ECHL, Murdaca has gone 3-2-3 with a .885 save percentage.

Murdaca played junior hockey in both the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Murphy, 26, joins Abbotsford from the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL, where he recorded 11 points through 16 games this season. The 6-2, 196-pound defenceman has registered one point in 10 career AHL contests over the past two seasons with the Chicago Wolves, Belleville Senators and Providence Bruins.

He also played in U Sports and the QMJHL.

Abbotsford returns to action today (Monday) with a special matinee game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day against the Ontario Reign.

RELATED: Abbotsford Canucks fall 4-3 in San Diego



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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