With the 2026 Stanley Cup Final nearing its end, more details are starting to emerge about some of the trade discussions that took place earlier this season. One story gaining attention involves a veteran defenseman who became a key addition for the Edmonton Oilers ahead of their playoff push.
According to recent reports, Edmonton faced strong competition from the Montreal Canadiens and other interested teams before ultimately securing the player.
Canadiens Lost Out on Oilers Trade Target at Deadline
The speculation centers around Connor Murphy, the veteran defenseman Edmonton acquired at the trade deadline to add stability to its blue line. Now headed toward free agency after completing his four-year, $17.6 million contract, Murphy’s future has become one of the more interesting storylines to watch this offseason.
NHL insider Marco D’Amico reported this weekend: “There is also Connor Murphy, who has not yet committed to an extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Before his move to Edmonton at the NHL trade deadline, the right-shot defenceman had several teams interested in his services, including the Montreal Canadiens.”
D’Amico also noted that several pending free agents across the league are waiting for the Oilers to resolve their coaching situation before deciding on their next move.
That uncertainty could create a challenge for Oilers GM Stan Bowman.
Edmonton already has limited salary cap space and faces several important roster decisions this summer. With expensive contracts already on the books and continued speculation surrounding potential changes on the blue line, Bowman will need to carefully manage the cap while trying to keep key players in place.
At the moment, there appears to be a real possibility that Murphy reaches free agency on July 1.
If he does, Edmonton could face stiff competition to keep him. Right-shot defensemen who bring size, physicality, and defensive reliability are always in demand, and several teams are expected to have interest.
As D’Amico noted, “The availability of [Darren] Raddysh, [John] Carlson and Murphy will have a significant impact on the market. Teams are waiting to see whether they reach free agency before looking seriously at the trade market, but there could be movement there as well.”
Should Murphy hit the open market, teams looking for veteran help on defense, such as the Canadiens and Florida Panthers, could quickly become serious contenders for his services.
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For now, Murphy holds the leverage. While the Oilers won the race to acquire him at the trade deadline, re-signing him could be a much bigger challenge. If Edmonton can’t create enough cap space and sort out its coaching situation, Murphy may decide to test free agency, giving the Canadiens and other interested teams another shot at landing him.