CONNOR MURPHY MOVED TO EDMONTON
The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a second-round draft pick in 2028.
What does it give the Edmonton Oilers
In Murphy, the Oilers bring in a physical veteran defender with good size. The 32-year-old should help stabilize Edmonton's defense, which has been especially shaky in recent weeks. Expect him to take on a bottom-four role and be a regular on the penalty kill. Murphy may be a rental, but Chicago is retaining 50 percent of his $4.4-million cap hit. That will help with Edmonton's cap crunch ahead of the trade deadline.
What does it give the Chicago Blackhawks
Murphy was in his ninth season in Chicago and the final year of his contract. He was mainly playing bottom-pairing minutes this season and providing leadership for the team's youthful blueline brigade. The Blackhawks were able to upgrade to a second-round pick by retaining half of the veteran defender's salary. Chicago will move forward with young D-men Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov and Louis Crevier on the right side.
Fantasy impact
Murphy no longer hits and blocks enough shots to have value in even the deepest fantasy leagues, and that will not change after the trade. His departure from Chicago will free up more ice time for younger offensive blueliners like Levshunov, Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski, giving them all a modest boost.
