The Washington Capitals have lost out on someone who could've been a solid free agent addition for them, as Darren Raddysh agreed to sign a long-term extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs following a sign-and-trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now, the Capitals will have to pivot if they still want to bring in a right-shot defender. One name that makes a lot of sense for them, if he ends up hitting the market, is Connor Murphy. There is a strong belief that the Edmonton Oilers want to bring him back, but if they can't get a deal done, the Capitals should be all over it.
Murphy, who is 33 years old, played 80 games between the Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks last season, scoring five goals and adding 12 assists for 17 points. He has 825 games of NHL experience, scoring 48 goals and adding 129 assists for 177 points in that span. He also has 15 games of playoff experience, scoring two goals and adding five assists for seven points.
Murphy doesn't jump out as an offensive producer by any means, but his willingness to play shutdown defensive hockey makes him an attractive target for any team looking to bolster their blue line. When he joined the Oilers, he helped stabilize Darnell Nurse on their second pairing, and if he joined the Capitals, he could be someone who steps into a top-four role immediately.
I would argue one of, if not the most important, target for the Capitals this offseason is a right-shot defender who can play top-four minutes, and Murphy fits that role. Realistically, in a thin market for defenders and an overall weak free agent class, Murphy could be looking for upwards of $6 million annually.
The Capitals do have some money to spend, though, especially if Alex Ovechkin decides to retire. With that in mind, they should be willing to bring Murphy in on a 3-4 year contract worth around that $6 million cap hit.
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