Oilers commit highway robbery on the Blackhawks with Connor Murphy trade
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Connor Murphy is officially an Edmonton Oiler. Head coach Kris Knoblauch gets his massive right-shot defender, and Chicago got absolutely fleeced.
Stan Bowman went back to his old stomping grounds and hosed the Blackhawks. The Oilers sent a distant 2028 second-round pick to Chicago for a 32-year-old veteran blue liner.
The best part for Edmonton is the money. Chicago agreed to retain 50 percent of his $4.4 million cap hit, meaning the Oilers absorb a highly manageable $2.2 million.
This is a terrible deal for the Blackhawks. They surrendered their most reliable stay-at-home option and got nothing but a mid-round pick four drafts away.
Murphy anchored the Chicago blue line. He logged 16:34 of average ice time across 60 appearances this season while taking on the toughest assignments every single night.
You do not trade that kind of grit for a mystery box. Chicago gave away a premium asset in a seller's market for absolute pennies.
Edmonton Fixes Their Blue Line
The Oilers have been desperate for a 6-foot-4, 212-pound presence. They rank 18th in the NHL with a rate of 2.69 expected goals against per 60 minutes.
They leak high-danger chances in the slot. Murphy steps right in to shut down the cycle and clear the crease.
He is not known for his offensive output, managing just four goals and nine assists this year. He provides a heavy physical game and solid execution on the breakout.
Despite spending the entire season in a terrible defensive environment in Chicago, his underlying numbers are phenomenal. He went out against the top lines and survived.
Murphy sat at just 2.37 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five. That was the lowest rate among all seven regular defensemen on the Blackhawks roster.
Edmonton also needed massive help shorthanded. The Oilers sit near the bottom of the league with a terrible 76.9 percent penalty kill success rate.
He solves that problem immediately. He was the main reason the Blackhawks boasted the top-ranked penalty kill unit in the NHL this season.
He eats pucks, forces players outside the dots, and disrupts controlled entries. He brings the exact sandpaper required for a deep run in the Western Conference.
Edmonton won this trade by a landslide. They fortified their biggest weakness, kept their top prospects, and forced Chicago to eat salary in the process.
Would you like me to analyze how Murphy pairs up with the rest of the Oilers' defensemen heading into the playoffs?
Also read on Blade of steel :
First big trade of the deadline frenzy is completed and Elliotte Friedman spills the details
First big trade of the deadline frenzy is completed and Elliotte Friedman spills the details
| POLL | ||
MARS 2|187 ANSWERS Oilers commit highway robbery on the Blackhawks with Connor Murphy trade Did the Oilers win this trade by a landslide? | ||
| Yes | 129 | 69 % |
| No | 58 | 31 % |
| List of polls | ||