It’s still a few days until November, yet trade rumors are already buzzing around the NHL, particularly involving the Chicago Blackhawks. Recently, NHL insiders David Pagnotta and Elliotte Friedman indicated that the Blackhawks are looking for a second-line center to enhance their roster.
On a recent episode of Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Friedman discussed ways to improve the struggling Edmonton Oilers, which led to a conversation about potential defensive solutions. In this context, Connor Murphy, a defenseman for the Blackhawks, was mentioned.
Friedman suggested that teams may consider Murphy as a viable option, noting that many were interested in him last year before his injury. He remarked that to successfully trade Murphy now, the Blackhawks would need a compelling reason.
Murphy, 31, is signed for two more years, including the current 2024-25 season, with a $4.4 million cap hit. So far this season, he’s played in all 10 games, averaging 18:08 per game and recording four assists.
With the Oilers having $1,296,267 in cap space available this season, their situation will become more complicated next year when Leon Draisaitl’s cap hit increases significantly. Connor McDavid’s recent injury, which is expected to sideline him for just 2-3 weeks, complicates matters as well.
Murphy has drawn interest due to his physical play and his effective partnership with Wyatt Kaiser this season, and he serves as an assistant captain for the Blackhawks.
The trade rumors gained further intrigue following a trade made on Tuesday, in which the Utah Hockey Club acquired former Blackhawks defenseman Olli Määttä, indicating a market for defencemen.
My concern is how trading Murphy now—or even at the trade deadline—could affect the Blackhawks’ defense lineup. Currently, the only right-handed defensemen on the NHL roster are Murphy and Seth Jones, making it risky to move Murphy at this point.
However, if the Blackhawks were to consider trading one of their veteran leaders, what would prompt such a move? It seems unlikely that the Blackhawks are in a position to continue amassing draft picks. They have drafted well recently, and will eventually need to balance their roster both in Chicago and Rockford due to capacity limits.
If they are seeking a second-line center, a deal with Edmonton appears implausible, especially with McDavid injured. While Adam Henrique leads the Oilers in faceoffs, he’s not adequate as a second-line center for the Blackhawks. Additionally, Derek Ryan doesn’t fit that role either.
Examining potential prospects from Edmonton, it seems limited. Matthew Savoie, their top prospect, is short and likely a winger, while Noah Philp, recalled due to McDavid’s injury, is a 6-3 center with no NHL experience yet. Sam O’Reilly is considered an interesting center prospect but is still playing in the OHL. Beau Akey, another top prospect, is a right-handed defenseman, but his addition may not significantly impact the Blackhawks, who already have right-handed defensemen in their system.
Is there a feasible deal to strike? It appears there aren’t promising prospects from the Oilers that could significantly aid the Blackhawks in the short term, and moving an established veteran leader doesn’t seem beneficial for the Blackhawks this season.
Nonetheless, it is telling that Friedman quickly mentioned Murphy when discussing the Oilers’ needs and possible trades. We’ll have to wait and see if this speculation leads anywhere.
