Connor Murphy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Connor Murphy |
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Murphy with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023.
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| Born | March 26, 1993 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Chicago Blackhawks Arizona Coyotes |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 20th overall, 2011 Phoenix Coyotes |
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| Playing career | 2013–present | ||
Connor Murphy was born on March 26, 1993. He is an American professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenseman and is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks. This team is part of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Phoenix Coyotes picked him 20th overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Connor is the son of Gord Murphy, who also played in the NHL.
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Connor Murphy's Hockey Journey
Starting Out in Hockey
When Connor was young, he played in the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets team. Later, he played junior ice hockey for the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League. Before joining the Sting, he had planned to play for Miami University. However, he chose to play in the Ontario Hockey League instead. Connor also played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. This program is part of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Playing for the Phoenix Coyotes
Connor Murphy played his first NHL game on November 16, 2013. He played for the Phoenix Coyotes. In that very first game, he scored his first NHL goal. It was against Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Anders Lindbäck.
On July 28, 2016, Murphy signed a big contract with the Coyotes. It was for six years and worth $23.1 million.
Joining the Chicago Blackhawks
After playing four seasons with the Coyotes, Murphy moved to a new team. On June 23, 2017, he and Laurent Dauphin were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, the Coyotes received Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Murphy had a tough start with the Blackhawks. He sometimes didn't play in games. He also had to play on his left side, even though he shoots right-handed. He scored his first goal of the season while playing with Brent Seabrook. They played well together for a while. However, Murphy later struggled to find a steady spot on the team. The Blackhawks also had a difficult season and did not make the playoffs. Murphy finished the 2017–18 season with two goals and 12 assists in 76 games.
Overcoming Injuries and Finding His Role
During the summer of 2018, Murphy hurt his back. This meant he missed the first three months of the 2018–19 season. He returned to play on December 7. He was paired with rookie player Carl Dahlström. They played a strong, defensive game together. Their coaches praised them for being effective. The new head coach, Jeremy Colliton, said they were "a huge benefit to our team."
Murphy missed the first game of the 2019–20 season due to another injury. When he came back, he first played with Duncan Keith. But their time together was short because Murphy got a groin injury. He missed 10 games to recover. When he returned, he played with Olli Määttä. They were put in charge of stopping the other team's best players. Murphy was very good at defense that season. He helped limit the shots and scoring chances against his team.
The NHL season was paused in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When play started again, Murphy was briefly "unfit" to play. He returned to practice on July 23. The Blackhawks made it to the playoffs that year. They beat the Edmonton Oilers in four games. However, they were then eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights. By the time the season paused, Murphy had set a new personal best with 19 points in 58 games.
Recent Seasons and Leadership
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The 2020–21 season was shorter due to the pandemic. It started on January 13, 2021. Soon after, Murphy reached 100 career NHL points. He got a goal and an assist in a 6–2 win against the Detroit Red Wings. He continued to play well but then suffered a hip injury. He missed six games to recover. At the end of the season, Murphy was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. This award is for players who show great leadership on and off the ice.
On August 31, 2021, Murphy signed a new four-year contract with the Blackhawks. It was worth $17.6 million. After signing, he was named an alternate captain for the 2021–22 season. He wore the 'A' on his jersey for road games. On March 12, 2022, Murphy got a concussion. This happened after he was checked into the boards by Ottawa Senators player Parker Kelly. He missed the rest of the season to recover. He was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy again.
Playing for Team USA
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| Medal record | ||
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Representing  United States |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2015 Czech Republic | |
| Bronze | 2018 Denmark | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2013 Russia | |
| IIHF World U18 Championship | ||
| Gold | 2011 Germany | |
Murphy has proudly represented the United States in international hockey. He played for Team USA in the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships. He scored three goals and had one assist in six games. He even scored the overtime goal in the gold medal game against Sweden! He was chosen as captain for the 2017 IIHF World Championship. He led Team USA to a 5th-place finish in that tournament.
Connor Murphy's Family Life
Connor Murphy was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Gord Murphy, was playing for the Boston Bruins at the time. Connor grew up in different places, including the suburbs of Miami and Atlanta. His family eventually settled in Dublin, Ohio. This was when his father was an assistant coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor has a brother named Tyler and a sister named Lexi.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2009–10 | U.S. NTDP Juniors | USHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | U.S. NTDP U17 | USDP | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | U.S. NTDP Juniors | USHL | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | U.S. NTDP U17 | USDP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | U.S. NTDP U18 | USDP | 22 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Sarnia Sting | OHL | 35 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2012–13 | Sarnia Sting | OHL | 33 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 36 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 30 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 73 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 78 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 77 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 76 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 52 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 58 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 27 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2020–21 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 50 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 57 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 80 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 46 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 68 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 745 | 43 | 117 | 160 | 489 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||
International Play
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | United States | IH18 |  |
5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2011 | United States | U18 |  |
6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2013 | United States | WJC | |
7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2014 | United States | WC | 6th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | United States | WC |  |
10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | United States | WC | 4th | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | |
| 2017 | United States | WC | 5th | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2018 | United States | WC | |
10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
| Junior totals | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 | ||||
| Senior totals | 43 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 22 | ||||
