Blackhawks trade Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers

The Chicago Blackhawks are trading their longest-tenured player to the Edmonton Oilers. 

According to reports, the Blackhawks are trading defenseman Connor Murphy, with 50% of his $4.4 million salary retained, to the Oilers in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick. 

Acquired in the Niklas Hjalmarsson trade in 2017, Murphy spent the past nine seasons as a stalwart on the Chicago blue line. In 547 games in a Blackhawks sweater, the 32-year-old collected 34 goals and 124 points. Though his role diminished this season as the organization prioritized the development of its younger defense prospects, Murphy could always be counted on to provide solid, physical defense. 

Serving as an alternate captain over the past six seasons, Murphy was a clear team leader. His contributions to the city will not be forgotten, as he earned five straight nominations for the King Clancy Trophy, awarded “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

This trade is a win for both teams involved, as well as the player. 

Starting with the Blackhawks, the team gains a valuable draft asset in return for a player who was not part of its long-term plans. This move allows the Blackhawks to give more ice time to young blueliners such as Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Wyatt Kaiser, among others. 

For the Oilers, this deal fills an obvious need at defense. Prior to today, after Evan Bouchard, the team’s top right-handed defenseman was Ty Emberson. Murphy plays the exact brand of gritty, low-event, minute-munching hockey playoff teams value. Additionally, with Murphy costing just $2.2 million against the cap, the Oilers still have some money to add another piece before Friday’s Trade Deadline. 

Finally, for the player, this is a massive win. Aside from nine games in the 2020 Playoff Bubble (in which the Blackhawks, ironically, beat the Oilers), Murphy has not played any postseason hockey. With Edmonton chasing its third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance, Murphy will have plenty of opportunities to meaningfully contribute to a championship-caliber team.