The Edmonton Oilers host the Chicago Blackhawks on April 2 at Rogers Place, and it’ll be the first time Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson suit up against their former team since being traded just before the trade deadline, along with Colton Dach.

Dach has only played in three games for the Oilers before being sidelined with an injury, but both Murphy and Dickinson have appeared in 13 games since being traded from Chicago. They’ve come to Edmonton as described — not a ton of offence, but strong attention to the defensive side of the game and a high battle level. Below, we take a look at the impact Murphy and Dickinson have had since joining the Oilers.

Connor Murphy

When Murphy was first acquired from Chicago, I looked up Blackhawks fans’ reactions online to his move to Edmonton. When they expressed sadness at seeing the blueliner go, I empathized with them, because after all, it’s tough seeing a player you liked leave, but I also felt it was a sign that the Oilers were about to get a good one.

Having said that, the Oilers have been in search of a right-handed shot to solidify their top-four D-corps, and Murphy has certainly been all of that and more.

Since his arrival in Oil Country, he’s averaged 20:24 minutes per game, recorded a goal and an assist, leads the team with 35 blocks, and also tops the team in penalty-kill ice time at 28:16. Overall, the Oilers have also seen an improvement on the PK, climbing from 76.7% to 82.4% since the arrival of both Murphy and Dickinson, who’ve been a staple on the unit.

For a 6-foot-4, 212-pounder, Murphy is fairly mobile and excels at shutting down the rush with his long reach, often stopping dangerous plays before they develop with a quick poke check. Also, his mindset in the Oilers’ zone seems simple and refreshing — don’t let the puck get near the Oilers’ net, whether by using his body to block a shot or swatting it away.

seanpangs

@seanpangs

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Connor Murphy played the second-most minutes on the Oilers tonight (22:33) and was rock solid defensively. Here were some of his best defensive plays:

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4:41 AM · Mar 9, 2026

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