The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to shed salary from their defense corps. After trading Markus Nutivaara earlier today, the team has now traded away former top prospect Ryan Murray. The Blue Jackets have announced that Murray has been dealt to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick.
Murray, 27, is a productive two-way defenseman… when healthy. The 2012 No. 2 overall pick has not been able to live up to expectations due to his inability to stay on the ice. Murray played in just 27 games for Columbus this season and has played in just 187 of a possible 316 games over the past four years combined.
Murray’s career per-game scoring rate projects 30+ point upside over a full season, even if he’s never hit that mark. However, his $4.6MM AAV implies an expectation that he will reach that point total every year. New Jersey has now taken on the financial risk for the final year of Murray’s final deal in hopes that he finally lives up to the deal. If he does, the Devils will have landed the talented blue liner at a rock bottom price.
The Blue Jackets did not trade Murray because he has fallen short of expectations though. By moving Murray and Nutivaara, as well as buying out Alexander Wennberg and knowing that they have a Brandon Dubinsky LTIR placement in their back pocket, Columbus now has roughly $20MM in salary cap space. They suddenly look like one of the top players on the free agent market and with a defense group that is still solid despite shipping out two starters and a great duo in net, the Blue Jackets can devote those funds to making major additions up front. A team whose 2019-20 season was defined by the elite talent they lost to free agency could begin next year with the opposite label, with names like Taylor Hall, Mike Hoffman, or Tyler Toffoli possibly joining the roster.
Based on today’s trades Gudbranson=Murray? My head just exploded.
Why??
They were both worth 5th rounders.
Actually, I might take Gubrandson. I’ve seen him have a few good shifts. More than I’ve seen from Murray.
when did he fall off a cliff this hard?
I dont think he did, his defensive stats are still pretty damn good. Must just be a cap dump
When he was habitually injured and cost half a million per game played
My lord 2012 was a bad draft.
That draft was in Pittsburgh. I went to it. I LOVE the draft.
Most boring thing I have ever done in my life. Left after the tenth pick to watch it on TV.
And yeah, one of the worst drafts in NHL history.
Loved listening to the NHL network for this past draft. They were talking about the myth of how it’s bad to take a goalie high in the draft. The best player in the 2012 draft went 22nd overall. That player was Andrei Vasilevskiy.
19th*
True but Malcom Subban was also a 1st rounder that year. Just depends on the prospect.
Connor Hellybuck might have something to say about that with his current season Vezina. But yes, weak draft overall, likely the best players out of that are 2 goalies and Teravainen. No disrespect to Trouba or Forsberg.
I was just looking at that too. Hot trash. Tuevo is by far the best first rounder in that draft. Glad he plays for my Canes.
I would say Laine might be back in the picture in a trade I would move someone like Jenner… Clearing space now for big ticket…