Veteran Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy reportedly getting significant trade interest

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has just revealed that teams are actively pursuing Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy as a trade target.

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a mixed start to the season, showing potential by defeating the Colorado Avalanche, one of the stronger teams in the Western Conference. But with the season still young, it is too early to make huge changes or really start to worry. The team remains hopeful that this early effort will pay off with more consistent performances as the team continues to gel and find its rhythm.

Given that fact, trading a key defender for the Blackhawks seems just a bit too premature. Of course, it would change their lineup significantly, but it's not something being seriously taken into consideration at this moment. Nevertheless, here are some speculations about trades, as some insiders think the Blackhawks will be willing to consider trading a few players under the right circumstances.

The most interesting speculative piece came when hockey analyst Elliotte Friedman appeared on the "Oilers Now" show, discussing potential defense options for the Edmonton Oilers. Host Bob Stauffer asked about some ways the Oilers could improve their defense group, and Friedman did name a few names of players who, should they ever become available, could be realistic pieces.

Friedman added, though, that any deal trading a Blackhawks defenseman, such as the rugged Connor Murphy, would be rather difficult to accomplish. Murphy, who only played 46 games with Chicago last year and tallied eight points while averaging almost 20 minutes of ice time per game, has one more year after this season on his contract. That added year could make him an expensive player for other clubs, especially those trying to balance out salary caps.

While the rumors will always be there, trading Murphy at this stage may not serve best the interest of the Blackhawks. There is always a market for right-handed defensemen whom one could rely on, so going forward into the season, it would not be a surprise to see the name of Murphy once again pop up in trade talks. For now, though, the Blackhawks will more than likely work their way toward finding some stability and maximizing talents from their current active roster.

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