As if the Los Angeles Kings acquiring Artemi Panarin wasn't enough, the Edmonton Oilers made a move of their own on Monday. They acquired defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 second-round pick. Chicago retains 50% of his $4.4 million salary for Edmonton to get reliable physicality on the blue line.
It was expected, now it's official. #Blackhawks deal D-man Connor Murphy to #Oilers. https://t.co/kn0RGj0b96
— Matthew Carlson (@MattCNews) March 2, 2026
The 32-year-old might not light up the scoresheet much, as proven by his four goals and nine assists this season. However, he puts his body on the line, adding 87 blocked shots and 62 hits this season. He adds veteran experience and grit to an Oilers team that lacks them, making them better.
Considering that Edmonton has had issues conceding goals this season, it's a welcome addition for the team. But it's also a bad omen for a Golden Knights team struggling to put everything together against good teams.
You might look at the Kings and say, "Oh, they're absolute trash! They just fired Jim Hiller!" While that's certainly true, the Oilers are much closer to the Pacific Division mountaintop. Sitting four points back of the Golden Knights in the division entering Monday, the latest move indicates that Vegas's rivals want to take the crown.
Is there anything that the Vegas Golden Knights can do before the trade deadline?
Here's the funny thing. The Golden Knights already made their big move, acquiring Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames. They paid a hefty price for it, too: Kelly McCrimmon dealt Abram Wiebe, Zach Whitecloud, and a couple of draft picks.
McCrimmon also signed Carter Hart to a two-year deal, adding to Vegas's goaltending room. These moves were supposed to bolster the team's overall depth, bringing prime experience and expertise to Sin City. However, things haven't gone as planned.
While Hart started well, his play tapered off before he suffered a lower-body injury. A GAA of 3.28 and a save percentage of .871 certainly doesn't make matters better. As for Andersson? Well, he hasn't gotten off to a good start in Vegas, adding just one goal and three assists in 11 games. Yikes.
His slow start doesn't help his chances of getting a long-term extension with the Golden Knights. Not only does this hurt his chances of getting a new deal, but it paves the way for other key players to get contracts (think of Pavel Dorofeyev). Yes, there will still be some roster maneuvering that must be done. However, the trends are starting to point towards Andersson not returning.
That makes this much harder to deal with. Now, teams like the Oilers and the Ducks can improve their teams and aim for the Pacific Division title. They can make adjustments as needed, viewing their own division as a wide-open opportunity for a deep Stanley Cup run.
As for Vegas? Well, this team must start playing to its potential. That means establishing its offensive dominance early and putting the boots to its opponent's throats. Otherwise, the Oilers and the Ducks (and maybe other teams) will overtake the Golden Knights, invoking memories of 2021-22.