John Muse

Muse grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts and played high school hockey at Noble and Greenough School under the coaching of Brian Day. He went on to play in college for the Boston College Eagles in the NCAA's Division I Hockey East conference.

Muse was a four-year player for Boston College, helping the Eagles to win the NCAA Division I National Championships in the 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 seasons, recording a 5–0 shutout against the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2010 National Championship game, becoming only the fourth goalie to do so in NCAA history.

Muse also backstopped for BC's Hockey East regular-season championship in 2010, as well as Beanpot Tournament and Hockey East tournament championships in 2008, 2010, and 2011. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 89–39–16, including 12 shutouts.[1][2]

Following his college career, Muse was signed to an amateur tryout contract by the AHL's Portland Pirates, winning his only start for them.[3] On July 18, 2011, Muse signed a two-way AHL deal with the Charlotte Checkers.[4] He attended 2011 training camp with the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, but was sent to Charlotte, then to Florida, for training camps.[5][6]

Muse's first full professional season saw him spending time in both the ECHL and AHL, recording 15 games in Charlotte and 25 in Florida, where he shared netminding duties with Pat Nagle. Muse helped to lead Florida to their first Kelly Cup and their third Kelly Cup Final, recording a shutout win against Kalamazoo (7–0, with 32 saves), and the first 2/3 of a shutout against the Elmira (5–0, Muse had 11 saves, but he did not play the 3rd period due to a lower-body injury).[7] He was awarded the Kelly Cup MVP trophy following the Everblades victory in Game 5.[8]

On June 7, 2012, Muse was signed to his first NHL contract with the Everblades parent affiliate, the Carolina Hurricanes, on a one-year contract.[9] Due to the NHL lockout, Muse was directly returned initially to the Checkers, before splitting the year for a second consecutive season with the Everblades.

On August 6, 2013, with limited NHL interest, Muse signed as a free agent to remain in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets.[10] After starting the season on the Komet's roster, Muse was signed to a PTO by the Checkers due to injuries to Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin.[11] In his first two starts for the Checkers, Muse recorded back to back 5–0 shutouts. By December, he had collected a record of 9–6–0 with a 2.29 GAA and .922 save percentage. As his PTO contract was nearing its end, the Checkers decided to extend an AHL deal to keep Muse in the organization through the end of the 2013–2014 season.[12]

On August 4, 2015, Muse left the Checkers as a free agent to sign a one-year AHL contract with the Texas Stars.[13] In the 2015–16 season, Muse assumed the backup role with the Stars, appearing in 19 games. Unable to replicate his form from previous years, Muse was traded by the Stars back to the Checkers for future considerations on February 29, 2016.[14] After returning to Charlotte, Muse assumed the starting role for 18 of the remaining 21 games, collecting a 9–6–1 record with a 2.08 G.A.A. and .918 Sv. %. On March 14, 2016, Muse was named the AHL Player of the Week for the third time in his career.[15]

On July 21, 2016, Muse continued his tenure in the AHL, signing a one-year contact as a free agent with the Rochester Americans.[16] In the 2016–17 season, Muse appeared in 14 games with the Americans, collecting just 3 wins. He split the season in being assigned to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL for 6 games.

As a free agent from the Americans, Muse signed with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a one-year deal on July 6, 2017.[17] After appearing in 8 games with the Phantoms, and proving an adequate option, Muse was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with NHL affiliate, the Philadelphia Flyers, for the remainder of the 2017–18 season on February 26, 2018.[18]

In the following off-season, Muse secured his second successive NHL contract, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2018.[19] In the following 2018–19 season, he split the year between Penguin affiliates, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.