The Blackhawks are better off with this veteran defenseman on the roster

The Chicago Blackhawks' lineup when the puck drops on the 2025-26 NHL Season is bound to look different from last season. With some key departures, big signings, and another year busy at the NHL Draft, the Blackhawks have the opportunity to play a different style this upcoming season.

General manager Kyle Davidson brought in a new coach with Jeff Blashill, and now the team enters the season with a second-time head coach looking to make his mark. Blashill had success with the Detroit Red Wings when it came to developing young defenseman Moritz Seider, and now he will have an opportunity to do it once again with a young defensive core in Chicago.

The Blackhawks have the opportunity to have one of the youngest defenses in the NHL. Alex Vlasic (24), Artyom Levshunov (19), Sam Rinzel (21), Kevin Korchinski (21), Louis Crevier (24), and Nolan Allan (22) all have the opportunity to play big minutes next season. One player not mentioned in that group is defenseman Connor Murphy.

Murphy, 32, is entering the final year of his current four-year $17.6 million contract he signed with the Blackhawks in August 2021. The Blackhawks defenseman is the longest-serving player with the organization—joining the team in 2017-18. Murphy has played 487 games with the Hawks in the past eight seasons.

With Murphy entering the final year of his contract, he has been at the top of many trade lists this offseason. However, trading Murphy would be a mistake for the Blackhawks.

Why the Blackhawks cannot afford to trade Connor Murphy.

There is a lot of promise for the future of the Blackhawks' defense. Chicago arguably has their future defense already in the organization, starting their NHL careers. While that is a good thing, the Hawks cannot rush their development and cannot afford to part ways with their last veteran defenseman.

Murphy, an assistant captain with the Blackhawks, has a role to play with Chicago. At 32 years old, Murphy still has plenty of good hockey ahead of him, and more importantly, he has plenty of experience for the rest of the defense.

Trading Murphy might bring back a draft pick or some young prospect, but the cost of losing him might not be worth it. Chicago needs a veteran defenseman on the roster at the start of the season—someone the rest of the group can look to when facing adversity.

If Kyle Davidson were to trade Murphy, they would throw the Blackhawks' defense into the deep end with little support going into a new season. Keeping Murphy on the roster to help his teammates is more important than any return in a potential trade.

More from Blackhawk Up