Edmonton Oilers Sign Stanley Cup Winning Defenseman to One-Year Deal

Ryan Murray, recent Stanley Cup champion, has signed one-year deal at league minimum -- $750,000 -- with the Edmonton Oilers, per a team release:

Murray previously signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring just four assists in 37 games for the reigning NHL champs. More of a defensive defenseman, Murray was drafted second overall in 2012, which has been called the worst draft of the 2000's -- Nail Yakupov, Murray, Alex Galchenyuk, and Griffin Reinhart made up the top four picks; Murray and Galchenyuk being the only two of the bunch still in the NHL. Murray has managed 128 points in 432 NHL games across three clubs.

While I am not overly bullish on Murray, he should be a cheap yet adequate replacement for Duncan Keith, who retired earlier this summer. Murray struggled in sheltered minutes on the NHL's best team last season, so I think it is fair to have low expectations for him. As for the Oilers, this seems to be a strictly depth move while they sort out their blue line and salary cap. Still ~$7 million over the salary cap, their prospective LTIR cap-savings ought to enable them for one or two more acquisitions, and at least one departure makes sense; Tyson Barrie. Nothing against him, Barrie simply makes too much for all the things he does not do, and there are some enticing defenders available. Nevertheless, we will just have to keep an eye out on Oilers GM Ken Holland.

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