Edmonton Oilers closing in on deal with big, rugged veteran d-man

This in from TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, news that the Edmonton Oilers are closing on a deal with big, rugged d-man Connor Murphy.

Said Ryan Rishaug: “Sounds like solid progress has been made between Murphy and the Oilers, wouldn’t be surprised to see something get done in the next day or so.”

And on the new 5-year Jason Dickinson contract, PuckPedia reports: “The Jason Dickinson contract with Oilers 5 Yrs at $4M Cap Hit.

“Yr 1 – 4: $2.5M Salary, $1.5M Signing Bonus.

“Yr 5: $3M Salary, $1M SB Full NMC Yr 1-3 (expires June 15, 2029), 16 Team Trade list Yr 4-5.”

Murphy

My take

1. This is good news. Rishaug is an excellent source and this was forcefully stated.

2. Murphy just got better and better in his brief time with the Oilers. He gave the Oilers the kind of smart, aggressive, sound defensive play they had not had since Adam Larsson and Kris Russell were on the team. He also elevated the play of his partner Darnell Nurse.

Oilers dmen Grade A 2023-26

3. The downside of Murphy. He’s 33. If he signs a three-year deal he’ll be 33, 34, and 35 in those years. NHL d-man tend to drop off a cliff between 33 and 35, even very good ones. The number of NHL d-man over the age of 35 playing a Top 4 role in the NHL can be counted on one hand. Any contract over three years of term represents either the Oilers attempting to lower Murphy’s new cap hit or an exercise in wishful thinking.

4. One area of concern about Murphy? He hands out a lot of hits. But he takes a high rate of hits as well. He’s high impact player, both giving out and taking hits. Best to pair him with a solid puck mover who can do most of the heavy lifting in their own end.

If he’s paired up with Jake Walman that would be ironic, as Walman is one of the least hit d-men in the NHL and one of the least likely to throw a hit. The Odd Couple. But might well work. Walman is an excellent passer. And they are both smart players in terms of positioning, at least when Walman is dialed in.