Trade Proposal Sees Montreal Canadiens Acquiring $17 Million Dollar Chicago Blackhawks Fan Favorite

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Sam Walker
November 1, 2024 (4:21 PM)

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Canadiens rumored to be in talks to acquire Blackhawks' $17 million dollar defensemen

The Montreal Canadiens name has been swirling in tons of rumors to acquire a top-four defensemen, and now, they have been linked to a Chicago Blackhawks fan favorite who has a whopping $17 million dollar contract.

The popular website, PuckPedia, has a newly featured general manager tool which let's users and other analyst create their own trades to see if it would work on both sides financially and or other reasoning, a recent user made a proposal which would send Blackhawks defensemen Connor Murphy to the Montreal Canadiens, another original six franchise.

The Canadiens would acquire:

Connor Murphy
2025 fourth-round pick (Rangers)

The Blackhawks would acquire:

Justin Barron
Sean Farrell
2025 second-round pick (Pittsburgh's)

This deal makes the most sense for the Chicago Blackhawks, as Connor Murphy is an aging defensemen who wouldn't mind a shot at the playoffs before he retires and Montreal is in need of a top-four defensemen, while Chicago would get a younger defensemen that could be developed in Rockford with the AHL organization, the IceHogs.

This would also open up a roster spot for quality minutes and a call-up of defensemen Kevin Korchinski, Connor Bedard's best friend and also the teams' second-best defensive prospect, behind Artyom Levshunov, selected second overall in the 2024 NHL draft by the Blackhawks.

Murphy is at 31-years of age and still has one year remaining on his high, $17.6 million dollar deal, which could be soaked by the Canadiens while they use his veteran presence for prime rookie defensemen Lane Hutson, who is a left-handed shot and will mesh well with a right-handed Connor Murphy.

The Blackhawks would be losing defensive stability, as Murphy does not execute in the offensive end, finishing the 2023-24 season with two goals, six assists for a total of eight points in 46 games (injuries plagued a full season for Murphy).

Barron, who would be heading to Chicago, is a 22-year old who could immediately replace Murphy on the Blackhawks blueline, last season, Barron played 48 games and recorded seven goals and six assists for thirteen points.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN reported on 'Early Trading' that Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has explored the trade market:

«What I'm being told, after talking to teams around the league, is that general manager Kent Hughes has started to call around, doing his due diligence, at least getting a sense of what, potentially, is out there,» LeBrun said. «I think the Canadiens would be open to making a move here that would help sort of shake up the makeup a bit here, and help this team win some games.»

Following up with LeBrun's report, fellow insider Frank Seravalli released his own on what he's hearing:

«Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has been checking prices on acquiring a top-four, right-shooting defenseman around the league. The cost? It's high, meaning nothing is imminent now,» Seravall reported.

Elliotte Friedman than furthed reports by confirming Connor Murphy may have been made available by general manager Kyle Davidson

«A guy who I think people would take a look at and think, �does this make sense at all?' would be a guy like Connor Murphy,» Friedman said on the Oilers Now show. «Last year, there were a lot of teams that were interested in Murphy.»

Friedman continued by stating Murphy's 2023-24 season injury ended trade talks, but now, they are back.