Connor Murphy doesn’t need to be the Oilers’ headline defenseman to matter. His value starts with what Edmonton already has in Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, a first pair built to handle heavy minutes against top competition and still chip in offensively from the back end.
Murphy’s assignment is simpler, and maybe just as important: keep things steady when the stars are off the ice. Entering his first full season in an Oilers sweater and the 14th year of his career, he’s positioned to anchor the second pair, where Darnell Nurse’s departure leaves Jake Walman set for major minutes.
Walman’s 2025-26 season didn’t go smoothly. Injuries and uneven play dragged down what should have been a big year, and like several Oilers, he fell short in both the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But now the $7 million contract is in full effect, and Edmonton will expect production that matches the price tag. Murphy’s presence gives Walman some room to work.
The fit matters because this is exactly what strong defensive pairings are supposed to do. Oilers fans have seen the blueprint before with Bouchard and Ekholm: a younger, more attack-minded defenseman can grow into his game when a steady partner is there to clean up mistakes and provide calm.
Murphy may not offer the offense Nurse did, but he should bring fewer swings in performance and a more reliable floor on his side of the ice. That stability can let Walman pick his spots to join the rush without leaving Edmonton exposed if the play breaks down.
Murphy also arrives with mileage. He’s been in the league longer than Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and he’s spent plenty of that time on losing teams - first in Phoenix/Arizona and then with Chicago as the Blackhawks sank to the bottom of the standings in pursuit of Connor Bedard.
He knows what’s left in a career like this, and with a Stanley Cup still in view, the expectation is total commitment. For Edmonton, that should mean dependable coverage for Walman and a steady veteran presence beside him every shift.
The numbers underline how much is riding on both pairs. Edmonton’s first pair costs $14.5 million combined, with Bouchard at $10.5 million and Ekholm at $4 million.
The second pair totals $11.1 million, with Walman at $7 million and Murphy at $4.1 million. The roles are different, but the task is the same: play well, stay healthy, and give the Oilers a real chance to win the Cup.
In Other News...
Connor McDavid Speculation Just Hit The Oilers Biggest Fear
Connor McDavid is just getting into the first year of his two-year contract with the Oilers, but the speculation around what comes next never really stays quiet for long. The latest chatter came from NHL Network analyst E.J. Hradek, who discussed the kind of future that could open up if McDavid ever leaves Edmonton, a conversation that immediately puts the spotlight back on the franchises biggest concern.
McDavid has made clear he wants to win in Edmonton, and that remains the line the Oilers are leaning on as the season moves forward. Still, the mere fact that his next contract is already part of the league conversation says plenty about the pressure surrounding the team, especially with McDavid also coming off the highest-ever rating in the EA Sports NHL video game series. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Familiar Trade Question With No Easy Answer
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Pittsburgh and Detroit stand out as especially interesting fits, at least on paper, because both could have pieces available if their timelines continue to drift. The challenge for Edmonton is that the best answers are rarely cheap, and the teams most willing to move useful forwards usually know exactly what they have. For the Oilers, this is less about finding a flashy name than about finding the right market, the right price and a player who can actually tilt the lineup in the direction they need. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Growing Future Debate While Chasing Another Cup
The Oilers present-tense pursuit of another Stanley Cup comes with a future-facing issue that is getting harder to ignore. The Athletics Corey Pronman ranked Edmontons prospect group 31st among 32 NHL teams, a reflection of how thin the organizations pipeline has become even with Matt Savoie and Rdolfs Brzkalns standing out near the top of the list.
For a team built to contend now, the ranking is a reminder of how little margin for error there is when the roster eventually turns over. If Edmonton loses key players or simply needs to replace contributors over the next few seasons, the lack of depth in the system could make that transition a lot more difficult, which is why the conversation around the prospects has started to carry more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]