3 reasons it could be difficult for the Chicago Blackhawks to trade Connor Murphy at the trade deadline

It is the eve of the NHL trade deadline, and the Chicago Blackhawks have been busy.

After last week's headline deal which saw Seth Jones traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight and a first-round pick, focus has turned toward other players in the lineup who could also be dealt.

After Ryan Donato, Connor Murphy seems to be one of the more valuable trade chips for the Blackhawks if they decide to move him.

However, doing so may be easier said than done.

A player of Murphy's caliber could prove useful on a contending team who could use another piece on their blueline.

There are three reasons to believe a trade may not happen at this deadline.

1. Murphy's contract...

When looking at Murphy's contract, there are some pros and cons to weigh for a contending team targeting the shutdown defender. He carries a $4.4 million dollar salary through the 2025-26 season, which could be difficult for some teams to take on.

Some teams have the cap space available to bring him on, but could run into issues in the offseason seeing as though he would not be acquired as a rental piece.

With that being said, the salary cap is going up which would give teams more wiggle room to bring in a player of Murphy's cap hit. The issue could come with finding where Murphy fits in on one's roster, with many contending teams seemingly having a full blueline, or those who don't simply are lacking necessary cap space.

2. The Blackhawks' salary retention slots are filled up...

Tying in with the previous point, the salary issue could normally be solved by the Blackhawks retaining some of Murphy's salary in order to get more value, but they have filled all three of their retention slots.

Each team is allowed to retain on three players at a time and the Blackhawks don't have that option available anymore. Their slots are occupied by Jake McCabe, who is in the final year of his current deal, Mikko Rantanen's salary which was acquired by the team as a third-party in his trade to Carolina, and Seth Jones which will be on the books for a long time.

Murphy is likely going to be the 4th or 5th defenseman on a playoff team which would be much more enticing at a lower cap hit. While not impossible, the right team would have to come along in order to take on the full salary or a third team would have to jump in to retain money, which could be difficult given he is signed through next season.

3. The Blackhawks' commitment to building a culture...

We have seen veteran players get rewarded with contract extensions in recent years with hopes of them being large parts of the leadership group and helping build a culture in the locker room.

Murphy is the longest tenured player on the Blackhawks' roster with this being his eighth season on the team and seems to be a well-liked individual by both the players and the organization. He also does help bridge the gap on the right-side until players like Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel make their way into the fold as full-time players.

Kyle Davidson has never been the type to rush into moving a player just for the sake of making a deal, especially if the value is not meeting the Blackhawks' requirements. That alone could mean the team values what Murphy brings to the organization more than the package they could get on the trade market.

The answer of where Murphy will finish the season will be answered today, and it seems the odds of this deal getting done could go either way.