Chicago Blackhawks veteran defenseman gets targeted as prized trade asset by Elliotte Friedman

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Julien Trekker
October 30, 2024 (2:51 PM)

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A Chicago Blackhawks veteran defenseman got targeted as a prized trade asset by the insider Elliotte Friedman.

There's a lot of need for right-handed defensemen across the NHL. Multiple teams are looking to bolster that area of their lineup, but there aren't a lot available on the market.

In an appearance on the Oilers Now show with Bob Stauffer, Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Chicago Blackhawks could make a right-handed defenseman available on the market if they think the return can benefit the team.

The insider stated that Connor Murphy could be an interesting player to target. He could've been traded last year, but a long-term injury forced him to miss 34 games between January and April.

In Friedman's words:

"A guy who I think people would take a look at and think, 'does this make sense at all?' would be a guy like Connor Murphy. Last year, there were a lot of teams that were interested in Murphy."

"And he got hurt, and he was out."

Teams looking for a reliable player ahead of the playoffs or to fill holes in their lineups left by long-term injuries could certainly be interested in a guy like Murphy.

However, considering the high demand for right-handed defensemen, the Blackhawks won't let him go without a great return. Also, Murphy has another year on his contract after this one, meaning Chicago could decide to keep him if they don't like what other teams have to offer.

Friedman continued:

"Number one, can you make a deal? Number two, can you fit it in? They know that they have a player there who was wanted last year before he got hurt. They don't have to (do it).

If you're going to get that deal done now, you're going to have to give them a reason to do it."

It'll be interesting to see what the Blackhawks decide to do. They'll need to get an offer they can't refuse to part ways with him before the trade deadline. With reports confirming the Hawks are looking for a 2C on the market, management will likely ask for something like that in return for Murphy. A price some NHL teams could be ready to pay.