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Oilers get big trade win with responsible addition in Connor Murphy
Edmonton Oilers Connor Murphy
Photo credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Mar 2, 2026, 19:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 2, 2026, 19:15 EST
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General manager Stan Bowman really sat in front of the media with a straight face for a 20-minute State of the Edmonton Oilers press conference, knowing damn well that he had a defenceman he going to acquire within moments. 
“We might add a defenceman, we might add a forward, I don’t know at this point,” said Bowman on Monday morning.
No more than an hour later, it was confirmed from various sources that he had traded for Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks. In terms of awkward timing for a press conference, and avoiding media fodder about a specific issue, this ranks highly.
So kudos to the public relations folks at the Oilers, who’ve been sly for a few weeks now. Edmonton announced the rehiring of Paul Coffey in the middle of a Team Canada do-or-die Olympic game, after all.
They’re earning their money.
But so is Bowman and this team of capologists on his deal, who’ve manoeuvred like Soviet gymnasts in the past 30-odd hours to have a trade like this have as little impact on the active roster as possible. Both Andrew Mangiapane and Alec Regula cleared waivers today, who needed to go down to have youngsters Josh Samanski and Isaac Howard recalled, before they placed Mattias Janmark on LTIR, so their bonus money wouldn’t count against the cap, likely allowing Howard to be sentback down to make the cap money work for Murphy. The Oilersnation Everyday guys did a great job explaining it.
Bottom line: the deal works.

A stopper

The Oilers parted with a 2028 second-round pick for Murphy, who comes with salary retention at $2.2 million. He’s a veteran, 32-year-old, right-shot defenceman who’s played more than 800 NHL regular-season games, and seems to provide exactly what the Oilers desperately lack this season – sturdy defence. 
The trade makes the team better today. There are no current players that are being subtracted, there were no first-round picks involved, and there were no top organizational prospects (Savoie, Howard, Hutson, etc.) going back the other way.
Murphy is a large, 6-foot-4, 212-pound stay-at-home blueliner, and as unfrisky offensively as it comes. That’s just fine, especially in the aftermath of a road trip, where the Oilers score 17 goals but lose two out of three games. We have sexy offence at home, kids.
Murphy was first over the boards on the Blackhawks’ No. 1-ranked penalty kill, which sits at 85.7 per cent, compared to the Oilers’ current rate of 76.9 per cent.
I’m no analytical wiz, and there’s a variety of different models out there, but NHL Sid here on Oilersnation does great work helping break it down. He relayed that Murphy is ranked third among all defencemen this season in Evolving Hockey’s Wins Above Replacement.
Check, check, check.
It even passes the Bowman comfort barometer, as the Oilers GM reacquires a player he traded for in 2017, and his first name is Connor (which always increases your odds of joining the Oilers).
And while not a great first pass nor an offensive demon, he isn’t dreadful. At the very least, he has four goals and 13 points this season. That’s more points than Ty Emberson and Spencer Stastney, as well as more goals than Trent Frederic, Adam Henrique, and Curtis Lazar. It’s at least something.

‘There’s more from within’

I wrote on Sunday about how I was worried about this deadline and what assets might be given up for medium-tier players. While a rental, this is a sound and reasonable trade that fulfills a need at a cheap cost.
It’s hard to hate.
If there’s any critique, Murphy has only played nine playoff games, and those were all in the COVID-19 Edmonton playoff bubble. Murphy playing on a team with legitimate aspirations will be an adjustment, and hopefully a seamless one.
“It’d be nice to bring a player or two in, I think,” said Bowman. “But also the biggest way we’re going to be a better team is that – we got a lot of good players here, and they’re talented. It’s a talented group. I think there’s more from within.
“That’s probably the way that we’re going to become a better team. Certainly, adding a player or two is something we’re looking for, and I think it can be helpful, but it’s not like it’s going to completely change the fortunes of our team. We’ve got a lot of really good players here, and it’s that commitment from our group to playing smarter hockey, winning hockey, I think, is going to probably pay the biggest dividends.” 
Bowman got some business taken care of early, with the trade deadline looming on Friday. The war chest is largely intact for a third-line centre or another winger. 
He begins this silly season with a solid, responsible, and well-executed player-for-asset trade.
It’s a trade win he needed after Tristan Jarry’s acquisition, which cost the Oilers a whole lot for very similar production back in December. 

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

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