NHL Trade Rumor: Connor Murphy Linked to Western Conf. Contender

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy skates with the puck

Pending unrestricted free agent Connor Murphy has been a good foot soldier for the Chicago Blackhawks for 8 1/2 years now, logging an average of close to 20 minutes of ice time over the course of his time there. The two-way defenseman is a physical, veteran presence, always good for 100+ hits and blocked shots per season.

Insider Chris Johnston writes in The Athletic, with Murphy being a legitimate trade candidate at the upcoming deadline, "The Blackhawks could certainly do right by Murphy by sending him to an organization that’s always aggressively chasing the Stanley Cup."

With that, Johnston projects the Hawks to send Murphy to a contender that has an opening on their backline, but one that just doesn't have the assets to chase one of the very top defenders on the market.

The (Vegas) Golden Knights still haven’t replaced the hole left on the right side of their blue line left by Alex Pietrangelo’s injury and would be looking at a more reasonable acquisition cost by chasing Murphy rather than Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson.

At the moment, the Knights can just afford Murphy and his $4.4 million cap hit. Vegas currently has $5.1 million in available deadline cap space.

Pietrangelo is on Season-Ending Long-Term Injured Reserve, which means his $8.8 million salary came off their cap, affording them that space.

Murphy, the 32-year-old 6-foot-4 blueliner, would offer a dependable shutdown presence that could slot right in to Vegas's need for a top-four, right-shot d-man, though he has been playing on the third pairing this season in Chicago.

Vegas currently sits atop the Pacific Division with 44 points, tied with both Anaheim and Edmonton, but with multiple games in hand on both.