Connor Murphy travel delay leaves Edmonton Oilers blue line thin vs Ottawa Senators

Mar 3, 2026 (11:57)

Photo credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Connor Murphy joining the Oilers matters as their 206 goals against sits in the league's bottom tier, and the 3rd period chaos keeps showing up at the worst times.

The wrinkle is simple, Murphy will not play Tuesday vs the Ottawa Senators because he is arriving later today, per the post below.

Edmonton is 29-24-8, and this is a night where they cannot spot anyone free looks off the rush.

They just coughed up a 5-4 loss to San Jose, with Connor McDavid piling up three assists and Evan Bouchard going 1-2-3.

So yes, the timing stings, because this was supposed to be a quick bandage on the right side.

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Murphy is 32, a 2011 first-round pick by the Phoenix Coyotes, and he plays the kind of stay-at-home game Edmonton has been begging for.

This season he put up 4-9-13 in 60 games, plus 87 blocks and 62 hits, which screams "hard minutes" more than highlight reels.

If you're an Oilers fan, you can almost feel the collective eye-roll at another "not tonight" moment.

The trade cost a 2028 second-rounder, with Chicago retaining 50 percent of a $4.4 million cap hit, so the fit is about math as much as muscle.

That retention is the real tell, Edmonton wants upgrade options without nuking future flexibility.

When Murphy actually dresses, he should slide into the penalty-kill mix and let Bouchard breathe at five-on-five.

He is also a clean partner for a puck mover, because he closes gaps and keeps plays to the outside.

Tuesday still matters, though, because Ottawa can fly, and Edmonton's margin is thin right now.

Get through the Senators game, get Murphy in the room, and then we see if this is the first domino before the deadline.

Previously on HockeyLatest

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MARS 3\|198 ANSWERS Connor Murphy travel delay leaves Edmonton Oilers blue line thin vs Ottawa Senators Will Connor Murphy stabilize the Edmonton Oilers blue line?
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