Murphy stabilizing Oilers defense heading into Western 1st Round

EDMONTON -- Connor Murphy is looking forward to making a debut of sorts in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Edmonton Oilers defenseman has nine games of postseason experience that came with the Chicago Blackhawks during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020. He's never played a playoff game in front of fans. 

"I don't really count no fans as playoffs," Murphy said Friday. "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."

The Oilers will play the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round starting with Game 1 at Rogers Place on Monday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, KCOP-13, ESPN2, Victory+). Edmonton closed out the regular season with a 6-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday to secure second place in the Pacific Division. 

Edmonton held its first postseason practice Friday and will be back on the ice Sunday in preparation for the series opener. 

"It felt different even coming in (for practice) this morning, just the excitement," Murphy said. "You're counting down the days and trying to get wins to get seeding in general, and that in itself brings excitement that the postseason is coming. And now that it's officially here and you turn that page into this chapter, also brings that excitement. I think you can feel that amongst everyone. Seeing guys get healthy and seeing everyone amping up these next few days knowing that there is going to be a lot of adrenaline coming up."

Acquired in a trade with Chicago on March 2 for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, the 33-year-old has helped stabilize Edmonton's defense. He's fit in well playing alongside Darnell Nurse, and the two have become the Oilers' shutdown pair. 

Prior to his arrival, the Oilers struggled at times in their own end. 

"We knew he could defend and I'm very impressed with his puck skills, he's been able to make some really nice plays," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "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."

Nurse has benefitted from Murphy's arrival perhaps more than anyone else. The 31-year-old needed a consistent partner that also played a hard-nosed game. Nurse was minus-11 in 62 games prior to Murphy's arrival. He was minus-1 in the 20 games with Murphy. 

"I think there's a lot of the strengths to our game, we kind of play off each other and are playing hard," Nurse said. "When you play with a partner that wants to go out there and play hard and defend well, it pulls on yourself as well. I think we've been kind of feeding off each other's energy; our reads have been better and better. When you're able to play with the same partner over and over again, practice after practice, you start to build on that.

"I think we've done some really good things, and I don't think we're a finished product of what we can be as a pair and it's on us to keep building on that as these playoffs roll on." 

Murphy has four points (one goal, three assists) in 20 games with Edmonton, is averaging 20:27 minutes of ice time and is plus-1. He plays on the penalty kill, and along with Nurse, is usually on the ice in important defensive situations.

Nurse has 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 82 games and averages 20:58 of ice time. 

"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," Murphy said. "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."

Edmonton focused on playing better defensively heading into the playoffs. The Oilers gave up an average of 3.23 goals per game this season, which ranked 25th in the League.

With Murphy in the lineup, Edmonton's goals per game average dropped to 2.90 from 3.34 prior to his arrival.

"They're both playing with a really good partner and helping each other out," Knoblauch said. "There's a lot of communication between those two. I can't pinpoint exactly what makes those two work, or why it elevates Darnell's game, but it's working and I try not to ask too many questions and just let them go."

Murphy believes it's the similar styles that make the partnership with Nurse so effective. Edmonton will need them to continue to play well to make another long run in this year's playoffs after advancing to the Stanley Cup Final each of the past two years.

"I think we both think alike in how we want to close and use our long reach and tall frame to be physical and close plays out defensively," Murphy said. "We take pride in being out there in the D-zone and D-zone draws, and on the penalty kill. That's a big part of our game. Seeing his competitiveness and his leadership, he's a vocal guy, he's been here a while and led the way defensively, so it's fun to feed off the energy he brings."