The priority for Edmonton at the trade deadline hasn’t changed much since opening night: addressing the glaring hole on the right side of their blue line alongside Darnell Nurse. While Troy Stecher and John Klingberg have stepped up and played well in that position, if the Oilers want to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, as they did last season, their mission at the deadline is to find a solution.
The trade market isn’t particularly strong for a right-shot defenceman to fill that void, but there are a couple of options that could work. Connor Murphy has been linked to the Oilers after appearing at No. 14 on Frank Seravalli’s latest Trade Targets board.
“It starts with a first-round pick [for Connor Murphy], and you’re adding something else to make it enticing. At the end of the day, Murphy still has limitations, but what you’re paying a premium for is not just the term—only $2 million a year [on the cap],” Seravalli said.
Murphy, 31, is in his eighth season with the Chicago Blackhawks and has played more than 700 NHL games. Current Oilers general manager Stan Bowman brought him to Chicago from the Phoenix Coyotes in the Niklas Hjalmarsson trade.
The Blackhawks defenceman has one goal and 13 points in 40 games this season. Murphy averages slightly over 20 minutes a night and plays a key role on Chicago’s penalty kill, which ranks 10th in the NHL.
“He’s steady, not flashy. The one thing I really like about Murphy is that he plays a physical game and is not afraid to get in the mix. Some of that, the Oilers could definitely use,” Seravalli added on Oilersnation Everyday.
He also noted that if the Oilers were to acquire Murphy, who has term left on a low-cost contract, for a first-round pick, they would likely look to add depth in the deal as well. It would be a move similar to last season’s acquisition of Adam Henrique from the Anaheim Ducks. While they had to part with a first-round pick, Edmonton also received pending UFA Sam Carrick in the deal, who played 10 playoff games and provided additional insurance in the forward group. This time, the Oilers are targeting a specific type of bottom-six forward.
“The big reason they need to go out and get a depth piece is the erosion of speed in their lineup. They’re missing [Ryan] McLeod, not from a production standpoint, but a skating one,” Seravalli continued. “They still haven’t had someone step up and grab hold of that fourth-line centre role, which is why the Oilers were in the mix for Drew O’Connor from the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
Chicago doesn’t have many pending UFAs who fit the exact mould Edmonton is looking for in a depth forward. However, Ryan Donato, a pending UFA, could help bolster Edmonton’s depth scoring. Donato has 16 goals this season, matching his career high.
Edmonton is likely to give Klingberg more time to prove himself before acquiring another defenceman. They may also allow the market to open up further to see what else becomes available. Until then, Murphy remains a strong target.
