Murphy stabilizing Oilers defense heading into Western 1st Round

Defenseman acquired prior to Trade Deadline has 'really good chemistry' with Nurse

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:53pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting in bold blues, reds, and silvers, depicting the dynamic movement and overlapping perspectives of a hockey game, conveying the defensive coordination between two players.A cubist interpretation of the Oilers' defensive partnership between Connor Murphy and Darnell Nurse, capturing the intensity and strategic interplay of their shutdown role.Chicago Today

Connor Murphy, acquired by the Edmonton Oilers in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks prior to the NHL Trade Deadline, has helped stabilize the team's defense heading into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Murphy has formed a strong partnership with defenseman Darnell Nurse, and the two have become the Oilers' shutdown pair. The Oilers will face the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round, and Murphy is looking forward to making his playoff debut in front of fans after only experiencing the playoffs during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Why it matters

The Oilers have struggled at times defensively this season, ranking 25th in the league in goals against per game. Murphy's arrival has helped shore up the team's defense, and his partnership with Nurse has been a key factor in the Oilers' improved defensive play down the stretch. The Oilers will need strong defensive performances from Murphy and Nurse if they hope to make another deep playoff run after reaching the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past two seasons.

The details

Acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on March 2, the 33-year-old Murphy has helped stabilize the Oilers' defense. He has fit in well playing alongside Darnell Nurse, and the two have become the Oilers' shutdown pair. Prior to Murphy's arrival, the Oilers struggled at times in their own end, but with Murphy in the lineup, the team's goals against per game average has dropped from 3.34 to 2.90. Nurse has also benefited from Murphy's arrival, going from a minus-11 rating in 62 games before Murphy to a minus-1 rating in the 20 games they've played together.

  • The Oilers acquired Murphy in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on March 2, 2026.
  • The Oilers will face the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round starting with Game 1 on Monday, April 21, 2026 (10 p.m. ET).

The players

Connor Murphy

A 33-year-old defenseman who was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. He has helped stabilize the Oilers' defense and formed a strong partnership with Darnell Nurse.

Darnell Nurse

A 31-year-old defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers who has benefited from playing alongside Connor Murphy. Nurse was minus-11 in 62 games prior to Murphy's arrival, but has been a plus-1 in the 20 games they've played together.

Kris Knoblauch

The head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, who has praised the partnership between Connor Murphy and Darnell Nurse, saying they 'really take a lot of pride in playing good defensive hockey and playing it hard.'

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I don't really count no fans as playoffs. I think the best part of playoffs is the atmosphere and the fans and the energy where you can feed off momentum shifts, and even just that adrenaline coming out for the start of games and seeing the city and the buzz around this time of year, so that's what I'm really looking forward to.”

— Connor Murphy, Oilers Defenseman

“We knew he could defend and I'm very impressed with his puck skills, he's been able to make some really nice plays. He's not flashy but just making those five-and-10-foot passes and getting it into the forwards hands under pressure, he really excels at that. But I think with those two together, they really take a lot of pride in playing good defensive hockey and playing it hard. It looks like it's been really good chemistry.”

— Kris Knoblauch, Oilers Head Coach

“I think we've built chemistry and have the same mindset in defending hard and take pride in shutting down every line we're against. I think when we're playing our best is when we're on our toes to close quick and making cleaner plays to get out of our zone, and we're not spending more time defensively than we need to be.”

— Connor Murphy, Oilers Defenseman

What’s next

The Oilers will hold one more practice on Sunday, April 20th, in preparation for Game 1 of their Western Conference First Round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, April 21st.

The takeaway

The addition of Connor Murphy has been a key factor in the Edmonton Oilers' improved defensive play heading into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His partnership with Darnell Nurse has solidified the team's shutdown pair, and the Oilers will need continued strong defensive performances from the duo if they hope to make another deep playoff run.