Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy was taken off the ice by stretcher after a collision into the boards early in the first period of Chicago’s game against the Ottawa Senators Saturday night. The incident happened after Ottawa’s Parker Kelly landed a hit on Murphy that sent Murphy face-first into the boards. Kelly was assessed a five-minute major penalty for boarding Murphy.
After being down on the ice for several minutes, Murphy appeared to move his extremities and was then taken off the ice on a stretcher, giving a thumbs-up. What makes the situation all the more concerning is that Murphy also missed time in December of this season with a concussion, having now apparently hit his head on the boards.
The 28-year-old Murphy has been a mainstay on Chicago’s blue line for the past five seasons, seeing his time-on-ice climb steadily for the Blackhawks as they have navigated a rebuild. It remains unclear the extent of Murphy’s injury or any timetable, however at this time, Murphy’s overall health is the primary concern.
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