Connor Murphy's playing time with the Blackhawks is plummeting, raising questions about his future with the team. It's a stark contrast to his earlier years, and it's got fans and analysts buzzing.
Back in November 2021, when the Blackhawks first visited Seattle, veteran defenseman Connor Murphy was on the ice for a hefty 22 minutes and 30 seconds. He even surpassed the 22-minute mark in 33 games during the 2021-22 season, just after signing a four-year extension.
But fast forward to today, and Murphy's role has drastically changed. He's now finding himself lower on the team's depth chart, despite being one of the longest-tenured players.
In a recent game against Seattle, the 32-year-old defenseman played only 8 minutes and 30 seconds, the least amount of ice time he's ever had in a game where he wasn't injured. He only had three shifts in the third period. Over the last five games, his average ice time is barely 12 minutes, a significant drop from last season when he averaged over 20 minutes when healthy.
When asked about the situation, Murphy, known for his amicable nature, admitted he wasn't thrilled. “Every player wants to play more, obviously, so I don’t think anyone would be happy with having less minutes,” he said.
