While the skill level is at another echelon in the NHL, Murphy said the night-to-night pressure is similar.
"You've gotta up your game at this level, but playoffs is playoffs," Murphy said. "Down there, we were focused every game and wanted to win every game to make the playoffs and it's a very similar feeling in this dressing room."
Just being in the hunt for the postseason -- AHL or NHL aside -- has been a refreshing development for the 24-year-old.
"I haven't been in this situation yet in my career. I don't think I've been in a playoff hunt since juniors," Murphy said. "It's definitely the most fun time of the year and I'm looking forward to it."
In 11 games with the Wild over two stints -- he played in nine games after Thanksgiving and before Christmas when Spurgeon missed time with a groin injury -- Murphy's play has been solid; he's scored one goal, added an assist and posted a plus-5.
While the sample size is limited, Murphy was a minus-36 in 151 games over five seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes never made the playoffs during his time there, so part of that can be explained by the quality of talent around him.
But in Minnesota, Murphy has stressed playing a simple game and trying not to do too much, mostly because he doesn't have to.
Murphy also has the skill to be a quality NHL player. Drafted in the first round by the Hurricanes in 2011 (12th overall), Murphy was a star in the junior hockey ranks.
"He's not the first-year player. He's got a pretty good pedigree," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "I think he's at the point in his career that he knows if he wants to be an NHL player he's got to do it pretty soon. He knows he's up for the rest of the year so he knows this is the best kick of the can he's going to have had probably ever. I think mentally he's into every game."
Here are the projected lineups:
WILD
Jason Zucker - Eric Staal - Nino Niederreiter
Zach Parise - Mikko Koivu - Mikael Granlund
Tyler Ennis - Matt Cullen - Charlie Coyle
Daniel Winnik - Joel Eriksson Ek - Marcus Foligno
Ryan Suter - Matt Dumba
Jonas Brodin - Ryan Murphy
Nick Seeler - Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock
KINGS
Tobias Rieder - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson - Jeff Carter - Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford - Adrian Kempe - Tyler Toffoli
Andy Andreoff - Nate Thompson - Torrey Mitchell
Derek Forbort - Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez - Dion Phaneuf
Jake Muzzin - Christian Folin
Jonathan Quick
Jack Campbell
Related:
- Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Los Angeles
- Baby boom keeping Wild players busy away from the rink
