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Blackhawks Defenseman Could Help Oilers’ Struggling Penalty Kill

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Nate Duffett | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 4:36 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers sit 26th in the NHL with a 76.9% penalty killing rate. If the organization is going to go to its third-straight Stanley Cup Final, something has to change with their defense and goaltending. While coaching is taking the brunt of the blame, Edmonton might also want to upgrade at the trade deadline. One defender with an expiring contract whom the Oilers could target is Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy.

Murphy is one of the top penalty-killing defensemen in the league, according to his advanced statistics from HockeyStatCards. He has 23.35 expected penalty kill goals against, which puts him in the 90th percentile in the league. Murphy is nearly as good overall, with just 30.52 expected goals against, putting him in the 80th percentile.

The right-shot defender could be the perfect piece to sure up the Oilers’ game. They’ll still need their goaltenders to make a couple of more stops, but adding a shot-blocking defender like Murphy would help limit plenty of those issues. It’d take some salary cap maneuvering to get him on the roster, but Edmonton isn’t that many pieces away from fixing its problems.

Connor Murphy: 2026 Trade Deadline Candidate

The Blackhawks don’t have a ton of reasons to keep Murphy through the trade deadline. He is on an expiring deal, and Chicago is ripe with young defenders, especially on the right side. Wyatt Kaiser, Artyom Levshunov, and Louis Crevier are all fighting for minutes, with Alex Vlasic also able to play his offside.

It could also be a chance for the Blackhawks to add even more young defense depth. One right-shot defender Chicago could target is the Oilers’ 2023 second-round pick, Beau Akey. Edmonton would be getting the chance to win now with a defender like Murphy, while Chicago would add another player to their young core.

The Oilers need to be all-in over the next few seasons while they still have Connor McDavid. There are no guarantees that he will stay past the 2027-28 season, and Edmonton shouldn’t be looking past that season. If McDavid leaves, the Oilers are likely heading toward a rebuild anyway, and if they don’t surround him with players he can win with every season, the chances of him leaving are even greater.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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