With four days until the March 6 trade deadline, Stan Bowman and the Edmonton Oilers have done some important things early.
According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers are acquiring veteran right-shot defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks. Friedman was the first to break the news Monday afternoon on X (formerly Twitter) that the talks were heating up.
Friedman wrote:
“Hearing discussions are heating up for Edmonton to acquire Connor Murphy from Chicago,”
Marc Spector has since reported that Edmonton will send a second-round pick to Chicago in 2028, who will retain 50 percent of Murphy’s $4.4 million salary, putting him at a very reasonable cap hit of $2.2 million.
Insider Frank Seravalli says the official trade call is not expected to be completed until later on Monday evening, but there should be no issues as the deal has been agreed.
The 32-year-old Murphy is a UFA who is in the fourth and final year of a four-year, $17.6 million extension with the Blackhawks in 2021. He has recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists), 62 hits and 87 blocks in 60 games played this season.
Connor Murphy against the Oilers
Bowman knows Murphy very well, having notably acquired him from the then-Arizona Coyotes in 2017 before signing him to an extension during his time as GM in Chicago.
Edmonton’s first priority was to land an impactful defenseman, preferably a right shot, and that’s exactly what they acquired. Murphy is known for his physicality and defensive play as a whole, which will be a welcome addition to a struggling blue line. Despite being a veteran of over 800 NHL games, he has actually only played in nine career playoff games, all of which came in the bubble during the 2019-2020 season, so he is eager to get a taste of real postseason hockey.
Given the relatively low cost of landing Murphy at 50 percent retention, the door remains open for Bowman and the Oilers to remain active in hopes of further improving the roster before the deadline.
Next: Analyst presents realistic third-line target for the oil companies
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