Pierre LeBrun: Edmonton Oilers beat Montreal Canadiens on Connor Murphy, eye AJ Greer
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Daniel Lucente
Mar 5, 2026 (3:31 PM)
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Photo credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Pierre LeBrun says the Montreal Canadiens chased Connor Murphy, and lost him to the Edmonton Oilers, right-shot D panic is real.
Murphy is 32, a 2011 first-round pick, 20th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes, and he just landed in Edmonton on an expiring deal.
The money matters, his cap hit is $4.4M, and Chicago is retaining 50 percent, which is basically a cheat code at the deadline.
On the ice, Murphy is a straight-line, right-shot stopper who clears the crease and eats penalty-kill minutes.
He's also sitting on 4-9-13 in 60 games this season, so you are not paying for points, you are paying for outs.
That "Canadiens inquired earlier this week" detail stings because it confirms Kent Hughes is shopping in the exact aisle fans have screamed about.
"I think the Canadiens inquired on Connor Murphy earlier this week before he got traded to Edmonton; it tells you that a right shot D is also part of the conversation."
- Pierre LeBrun
- Pierre LeBrun
Edmonton didn't just beat Montreal to the player, they beat them to the retained cap structure.
Now LeBrun also floated A.J. Greer as a name both Montreal and Edmonton could have interest in.
"It wouldn't surprise me if both Montreal and Edmonton have some interest in AJ Greer."
- Pierre LeBrun
- Pierre LeBrun
Greer is 29, a 2015 second-round pick, 39th overall by the Colorado Avalanche, and he's a pending UFA.
His cap hit is only $850K, which means he fits almost anywhere without gymnastics.
He's at 11-11-22 in 61 games, and that's real fourth-line offense with forecheck bite.
A.J. Greer can bait the Montreal Canadiens
Habs fans can feel it, this is the exact kind of "small" add that somehow turns into a big loss on Friday.
If Edmonton jumps in, they can either drive up the price, or just take Greer off the board and leave Montreal scrambling again.
For Montreal, Greer makes sense as a bottom-six winger who keeps shifts alive and insulates skill.
But the bigger lesson is brutal, the Oilers already grabbed the right-shot D Montreal sniffed around, and they can block the next move too.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 5|145 ANSWERS Pierre LeBrun: Edmonton Oilers beat Montreal Canadiens on Connor Murphy, eye AJ Greer Should the Montreal Canadiens desperately outbid the Edmonton Oilers for A.J. Greer? | ||
| Yes | 73 | 50.3 % |
| No | 72 | 49.7 % |
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