Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy has emerged as a premier trade chip ahead of the March 6 deadline. The 32-year-old veteran is the longest-tenured Blackhawk and a longtime alternate captain, carrying a $4.4 million salary-cap hit on a contract that expires this summer.
The player himself recently spoke out on the rumors, claiming that while he wants to stay, the potential of moving to a playoff contender was undoubtedly attractive.
“I would like to be here. I would like to also play in the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs. It's kind of mixed emotion. That's why this time is so hard, having that feeling tearing you both ways. It's not an easy answer either way,” he said, per NHL.com.
With Chicago sitting at 22-27-9 and 10 points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, Murphy may finish his time with the Blackhawks with only two postseason appearances. Back in 2020, the Blackhawks lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the qualifying round.
“It's an odd thing, the potential to get traded to a team that's in that spot. I've been so focused for nine years on wanting to make the playoffs here and wanting to play our best and grow as a team, be a better leader and teammate to help push it along. It's a funny situation. It's just interesting how the business side can change and pull you to a different direction,” he added.
While Murphy’s contract allows him to submit a 10-team no-trade list, the Blackhawks intend to do right by him, targeting a trade to a strong playoff contender. The market for veteran, right-handed defensemen is historically robust, positioning Murphy as potentially GM Kyle Davidson's most valuable asset.
The Blackhawks could further increase Murphy's return value by retaining a portion of his salary. However, Davidson must navigate a crowded market featuring other available right-handed or veteran defensemen, including Tyler Myers (Vancouver Canucks), Dougie Hamilton (New Jersey Devils), Justin Faulk (St. Louis Blues), Luke Schenn (Winnipeg Jets), Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers), and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs).
