The Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars are two teams headed in opposite directions. Chicago is in the middle of what appears to be a prolonged rebuilding period. The Original Six franchise has won six Stanley Cup trophies since the NHL’s founding in 1926, but none since 2015.
The Blackhawks have not even played postseason hockey since 2020, and only once since 2017. The ongoing rebuild has sometimes involved trading away established talent for youthful prospects or draft picks.
One prime example came shortly before the 2022 NHL draft, when Chicago dealt forward Alex DeBrincat, a beloved player among Blackhawks fans, and one coming off a career-best 78-point season, to the Ottawa Senators for a trio of draft picks.
Blackhawks in Sell-Off Mode to Spark Youth Movement
But they used those picks on one of the most promising defensive prospects in the Blackhawks system, Kevin Korchinsky who is described by Fansided hockey writer Kyle Botoka as “a near lock to be a long-term top four defenseman.” They also picked up center Anthony Spellacy, a 19-year-old who tallied 37 points including 19 goals for the Windsor Spitfires this season.
Finally as a result of the DeBrincat deal, Chicago drafted forward Paul Ludwinski, who struggled somewhat in 2024-2025 for AHL Rochester but who showed promise with 69 points for junior hockey club the Kingston Frontenacs the previous season.
Which veteran will be the next to go as Chicago continues to shed salary and build through youth and the draft?
According to Michael DeRosa of NHL Trade Rumors, the best candidate would be 32-year-old, 12-year veteran defenseman Connor Murphy. The Boston, Massachusetts, native was a much-discussed trade candidate at the deadline in March, but ultimately he remained on Chicago’s books.
Heading into the 2025-2026 season, however, Murphy will be entering the final season of his four-year, $17.6 million contract with Chicago.
The Stars, on the other hand, have established themselves as serious Stanley Cup contenders, getting to the Western Conference finals last season before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in six games.
Murphy Would Boost Stars Defense
Dallas just completed its third consecutive 100-plus points season, and on Saturday won Game Seven of their first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche to advance to the conference semifinals where they will face the Winnipeg Jets.
“The Stars could use a boost on the right side of their defense, so they could also be a team that makes a push for Murphy this offseason,” DeRosa wrote. “He could be a fit on either their second or third pairing if acquired. In addition, he would be an obvious choice for their penalty kill, given his defense-first style of play.”
The Stars would likely need to help Chicago add to its depth on the blue line, after losing Murphy. Lian Bischel, the Stars’ first round pick in the 2022 draft who logged 23 blocks and 155 hits in 566 minutes of ice time in his rookie NHL season this year could fill that requirement.
Dallas could package Bischel with next year’s second-round draft pick in a bid to obtain Murphy, who has played in a grand total of nine playoff games in his career, which has been divided between the Arizona Coyotes, who drafted him with the 20th overall pick in 2011, and the cellar-dwelling Blackhawks. Murphy would likely jump at the chance to compete for a championship in Dallas.
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