Muse Eager For Opportunity With Penguins Organization

While it's never appropriate to judge, a quick look at the stat sheet for goaltender John Muse's pro career - spanning seven seasons heading into his eighth in 2018-19 - tells only part of the story.

Undrafted and undersized - one of three American Hockey League (AHL) goalies listed under six-feet tall that appeared in more than 850 minutes of game action last season (68 goalies played 850 or more minutes in 2017-18) - Muse has had an uphill battle from his arrival at the pro scene in 2011 with the then-Portland Pirates

Muse has spent time in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a part of four different organizations, but it's his ability to make the most of every opportunity that has enabled him to continue pursuing that next big opportunity.

"That's been pretty much my whole career. I've had to prove myself every time I get on the ice. I don't mind that," Muse told Inside AHL Hockey last month.

Muse's first - and only - season in the Philadelphia Flyers organization last year was again split between the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' and their ECHL affiliate Reading Royals. He remained in flux throughout the course of the season, passing between leagues regularly - sometimes multiple times in a month - but when all was said and done put together a remarkable season - totaling a 30-7-1 record between the two leagues including a ludicrous 11-2-1 record in the AHL with the Phantoms in 15 appearances.

Muse said he goes into every season looking to make the most of every opportunity, explaining he's confident in how he both performs on the ice and how he prepares away from the rink.

"I think that starts with my summer preparation. I go into every off-season looking to get better a few things and really work on that. I think last summer I felt I was at the top of my game and I think that showed throughout the season," he added.

Muse's stellar season earned him his first NHL contract when the Philadelphia Flyers inked him to a one-year deal in-season, prior to the league's annual trading deadline. His videogame-like stat line also drew a lot of attention in the grace period before free agency began, noting that a couple of teams talked with Muse's camp.

"I had talked to my agent and we thought Pittsburgh would be the best option for me. Obviously, the NHL deal was a big factor in that, but like you said it's a work in progress. I felt like I had a very solid year last year and showed that I can still play at a very high level regardless of where I am."

The 30-year-old's ultimate goal is still to play in the NHL. Muse and his agent came to the conclusion that the Pens' offer would give him the best opportunity to fulfill that dream.

Muse knows first-hand how quickly the landscape can change for a goaltender, having seen the Philadelphia Flyers lose both of their NHL goalies to injuries in short succession in addition to having Anthony Stolarz on the injured reserve most of the season.

Heading into Penguins' training camp in the fall in a four-man group with Matt Murray, Casey DeSmith and Tristan Jarry, Muse can continue to use his hard-working and making the most of it mentality to his advantage. All it takes is an injury here or there, a call up, a suspension, a trade or a performance-based issue to change the outlook. Wherever he begins the 2018-19 season, he'll work his way into a larger role as the season goes on.

It's what he's made a career of doing.

"They obviously have a great organization and their AHL team in Wilkes-Barre is always a good team," Muse said of the possibility of playing with the WBS Penguins. "I think they do things the right way, and that was a big draw for us."

Having faced the AHL Penguins once last season, and the Phantoms-Penguins rivalry seeing the two teams face each other 12 times a season, the two teams quickly become well aware of all the players on the opposing side.

"Yeah it'll be interesting to play against all the guys from last year. We had a great group of guys in Lehigh. I was welcomed in very well from the first time I stepped foot in the locker room and became pretty close with a lot of the guys so it'll be interesting playing against them. At the same time, I did that when I left Charlotte and started playing against them so I've gotten used to it over the years."

Muse went on to explain that knowing a handful of guys on the team going into the season - including his Phantoms' teammate last season Will O'Neill - makes the transition to a new team a little smoother.

The East Falmouth, MA native began skating a couple of weeks ago and is eager to get back into the daily grind, having had a lower body surgery shortly after the off-season began. His training regimen wasn't affected, leaving him on crutches for only a few weeks in addition to an eight week rehab in Philadelphia prior to returning home in the northeast for the summer.

"There's a lot of people out there that don't expect me to do much but at the end of the day - like I've said - I have confidence in myself and ultimately I'm looking for an opportunity to show that I can play at a high level at the highest level possible."