The Chicago Blackhawks are likely to be sellers at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. In fact, the Blackhawks began this process by trading Taylor Hall to the Carolina Hurricanes back in late January. Chicago has a number of trade candidates who could be on the move. And while Connor Murphy isn’t their flashiest candidate, he could be a sought-after one.
Murphy is a former first-round pick of the then-Phoenix Coyotes from the 2011 NHL Draft. He made his debut during the 2013-14 season with the Cotoyes and played four seasons with the franchise. However, he was traded to the Blackhawks in 2017 in a deal that sent three-time Stanley Cup champion Niklas Hjalmarsson to the desert.
With Chicago, Murphy steadily grew into a consistent NHL defenseman. He has averaged nearly 20 minutes per game over the course of eight seasons with the team. And he has helped the Blackhawks make the Stanley Cup Playoffs once — during the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign.
Murphy is not an offensive asset, but interested teams aren’t seeking this from him. What they want from the 31-year-old Boston native is his relentless defensive ability. The Blackhawks rearguard has not met a shot he is not willing to block. Moreover, he is perfectly fine with using his 6’4″ frame to deliver a crunching hit on the ice.
What’s impressive about the veteran is his defensive performances on bad teams. Since the 2019-20 season, Murphy has recorded an even 20 Defensive Goals Above Replacement, according to Evolving Hockey. This places him 27th in the league in this metric during that span. He also managed a 4.3 WAR during that time.
This is a shutdown defenseman who can change the game in his own end of the ice. Contending teams will certainly want a player like Murphy for their run at the Stanley Cup. And there are two teams in particular who are excellent fits for the Blackhawks rearguard ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
Oilers could add Blackhawks’ Connor Murphy
The Edmonton Oilers signed John Klingberg off the free agent market before the 4 Nations tournament. Edmonton wanted to add some defensive depth to its roster and Klingberg is a defenseman. However, there’s a difference between being a defenseman and playing defense.
Klingberg is a defenseman, but he doesn’t exactly play strong defense. This can be fine if he is deployed alongside a defensively responsible partner on the blueline. Connor Murphy could be someone the Oilers pursue in order to improve their defensive ability.
The Blackhawks are unlikely to ask for the sun and moon for Murphy. In saying this, any trade involving the 31-year-old Boston native could come at a cost. He is signed through the 2025-26 campaign, giving him a bit of extra value on the market.
The Oilers are trying to win the Stanley Cup in 2025. They came close to realizing this aim in 2024 when they faced the Florida Panthers. If they want to avoid another loss in the Final, though, a trade for Murphy makes a ton of sense.
Blackhawks’ Connor Murphy would bolster Senators
The Ottawa Senators are making a valiant push for postseason hockey in 2024-25. They had a rather dreadful start to the campaign that seemed to dash any postseason hopes. However, they have turned things around in a massive way over the last few months.
This is certainly not a perfect team. For instance, the Senators could stand to add a scoring winger to their team before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. However, one other area of need is the right side of their blueline.
Connor Murphy could be a valuable defensive presence for the Senators this season. He could stabilize the team’s bottom pairing and help Ottawa in their playoff push. And since he is signed for next season, he could help turn Ottawa into a consistent playoff contender.
The Senators are not a Stanley Cup contender like the Oilers. However, they could still make a run in the postseason in 2025. A trade with the Blackhawks for Murphy would be a step toward realizing that possibility.
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