Chicago Blackhawks Legend Troy Murray Dies At 63

Murray was drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round of the 1980 NHL Draft. Not exactly a flashy selection. But Murray was never about flash. He was about work.

He spent 10 of his 15 NHL seasons in Chicago, and the city became his home in every sense of the word. His best season came in 1985-86, when he erupted for 45 goals, 54 assists, and 99 points in 80 games. That same season, he took home the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

He finished his NHL career with 584 points in 915 regular-season games, suiting up for Chicago, Colorado, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh. In his final NHL season, Murray got one last gift — a Stanley Cup ring with the 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche. The hockey gods got that one right.

Murray the Broadcaster: The Voice That Made You Feel At Home

When Murray retired in 1997, most guys ride off into the sunset and call it a career. Murray called it chapter two. He joined the Blackhawks broadcast team in 1998, and for the better part of three decades, his voice became as synonymous with Chicago hockey as the United Center itself.

As the radio color analyst alongside play-by-play man John Wiedeman, Murray helped call three Stanley Cup championship seasons in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Three banners. One voice that made each of them feel like a shared moment between old friends.

He wasn’t reading from a script. He was talking to you — the guy stuck in traffic listening on WGN, the family gathered around the radio because the game wasn’t on TV. Murray had the rare gift of making every fan feel like they were sitting right next to him in the press box, cracking jokes and watching the game they both loved.

Murray the Fighter: No Quit In Muzz

In Aug. 2021, Murray publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with cancer. The news hit the Chicago hockey community like a gut punch. But Murray did not disappear. He endured chemotherapy treatments every other Monday and returned to the broadcast booth on Dec. 15, 2021. It was a 5-4 overtime Blackhawks win over Washington. On that broadcast, his voice cracked just slightly when he said, “I really appreciate all the support all you guys have given me. I’m just glad to be back on the air.”

The booth erupted. So did the city. “During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Blackhawks Chairman Danny Wirtz said in a statement Saturday. That wasn’t spin. That was simply the truth.

What Murray Meant To Chicago

Beyond the stats. Beyond the trophies. Beyond the broadcast records and the Alumni Association work and the community events Murray never once skipped, there was just “Muzz.”

The guy who always knew the perfect moment to crack a joke in the press box. The guy who said hello to everyone, every time, without fail. The guy who wore a Blackhawks sweater not just on his back but in his bones.

Chicago is a tough sports town. It’s seen championships and heartbreak in equal measure. But the city has a particular relationship with the people who give themselves to it completely. Troy Murray belonged to Chicago. And Chicago, in return, belonged to him.