The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the 2028 draft.
The Oilers have been rumoured to have interest in bringing in a right-shot defenseman to solidify their defense group before the March 6 trade deadline.
Hearing Connor Murphy moves to Edmonton for a second round pick, with half of his $4.4 M cap hit being retained by the Blackhawks.
— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) March 2, 2026
The Blackhawks have taken a step in the right direction this season, sitting just two wins short of last season’s total in just 60 games. Murphy has consistently been a strong stay-at-home defenseman for the Blackhawks since joining them in 2017.
The Oilers have a strong top-end group of defensemen, headlined by Evan Bouchard. Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm aren’t playing to the level they once were, but they are still quality defensemen in the lineup. Murphy will round out the top-four group, with Jake Walman, Ty Emberson, and Spencer Stastney rounding out the bottom end of that group.
With the Oilers being so tight against the salary cap, Mattias Janmark was placed on long-term injured reserve and will miss the remainder of the regular season, and with Andrew Mangiapane and Alec Regula waived, it gives them more flexibility. These moves will allow the Oilers to bring in Murphy’s $2.2 million after the Blackhawks retained half.
The Blackhaws bringing in another second-round pick is certainly beneficial to them. While they have lots of young talent and a bright future, adding to the pick pool is always a need. Now with 12 draft picks in the first two rounds of the next three drafts, they are well-stocked and can either continue adding to their great young group via the draft or move some picks to buy when the time is right.
While some expected Murphy to fetch a bigger return, both teams benefit from this deal.
Murphy’s 6-foot-4 frame and excellent defensive abilities will give the Oilers a lot more depth on defense, and he can be relied upon in a defensive role in ways they were unable to do with any of their current defensemen.
While Murphy isn’t going to post a ton of points, he is one of the best pure shut-down players in the league.
