The Edmonton Oilers keep taking care of their own business this offseason. After getting Jason Dickinson locked down on a five-year deal, they moved fast to extend Connor Murphy. TSN’s Ryan Rushing broke the news: it’s a five-year contract at $4.1 million per season.
Murphy is coming off a four-year deal he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2022. That one paid him $4.4 million annually, so this is a slight pay cut. But staying in Edmonton clearly mattered more than squeezing every last dollar.
The timeline here is interesting. Murphy was originally drafted 20th overall in 2011 by the Phoenix Coyotes. He spent four seasons there before the Coyotes traded him to Chicago. In Chicago he became a fixture on the blue line, playing there for years until the Blackhawks shipped him to Edmonton this past March for a draft pick.
What Murphy Brings to the Table
He suited up for 20 regular-season games with the Oilers after the trade. Put up a goal and three assists. Fine numbers, nothing flashy. But during the playoffs he stepped it up — two goals and an assist across six games. That kind of production in high-leverage situations probably didn’t hurt his negotiating position.
Murphy gives Edmonton a reliable, physical defenseman who can eat minutes. He’s not gonna blow anyone away with offensive numbers, but he’s steady. And in a division where you need to stop teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings, that steadiness has real value.
What This Means for the Cap
With Murphy’s deal in the books, the Oilers have under $10 million in salary cap room left for this season. That sounds like a lot until you start looking at the guys they still need to sign. Colton Dach and Spencer Stastney are restricted free agents who need new deals. Plus there’s a whole group of unrestricted free agents: Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, Adam Henrique, and Curtis Lazar.
The front office has some tricky math to figure out. They’ve committed to keeping their core intact — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren’t getting any cheaper — but they also need to fill out the roster with NHL-caliber players who fit under the cap. Murphy at $4.1 million leaves them some room to work, but not a ton.
It’ll be interesting to see who they prioritize among those UFAs. Henrique’s faceoff ability and two-way game would be hard to replace. Roslovic and Kapanen bring speed on the wings. Lazar gives you energy and physicality. Every decision here shapes what the bottom six looks like.
The Oilers are clearly trying to build a team that can make another deep playoff run. Murphy’s deal is one more piece of that puzzle. Now it’s up to management to finish the job with the rest of the roster.
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