So, where does Connor Murphy fit into the free agent box on July 1 now? With Darren Raddysh, off one NHL season where he came out of nowhere to get 70 points, moving onto the Lightning power play in place of Viktor Hedman, and now getting a whopping $8.5 million AAV from the Maple Leafs, does that mean Murphy is suddenly now a $5 million free-agent signing or a tad higher? Quite likely.
Murphy's Market Value
Would the Oilers go that high to keep their second-pairing right-shot defender? They may have little choice. Different skill-sets (one a sheer offensive defenceman in Raddysh, the other Murphy, who is Jaccob Slavin Lite), and, in no part of the hockey universe, would the Oilers ever go eight years for Murphy. But they might have to go 4x$5.25m now, and they definitely need to keep the solid citizen and tough-to-play against Murphy, 33. They need his 20 minutes a night with left D Darnell Nurse leaving. The Oilers got Murphy at 50 cents on the dollar on his $4.4 million Hawks’ cap hit at the trade deadline.
The other right-shot defenceman that won’t last long on July 1 are John Carlson (bet on him replacing Raddysh in Tampa at $8 million or higher for two or three years), Rasmus Andersson (probably signing in Vegas), Anaheim’s Jake Trouba, maybe in the $5-$5.75 million range, and Ryan Shea, 29, (Pittsburgh), who had 35 points and was plus 30 this past season.
Dickinson's Situation
And somebody is going to give Oilers UFA centre Jason Dickinson $5 million? Will it be the Oilers? They need him as a third-centre shutdown guy in this win-now window but $5 million again seems steep for Dickinson, who had seven goals in 64 league games last year and seven in 59 the season before for the Hawks. Yes, he played on a broken foot and had two goals in a playoff game against Anaheim, a great story, but his history says (check the NHL Guide and Record Book, one of Ken Holland’s favourite sayings) he’s had one regular-season over nine goals (22 in 2023-24). And, Dickinson may just be keeping the seat warm for Josh Samanski in a couple of years.
Are Murphy and Dickinson both $5 million on the open market? “Yes, and why they’ll most likely hit FA,” said TSN’s Craig Button.
Keaton Verhoeff Draft Update
Going into the 2026 draft, Fort Saskatchewan’s Keaton Verhoeff was looked at as a possible top 3 pick, but somehow his stock has dropped, in some quarters. Could be a big mistake for a driven kid, he was playing NCAA at 17. He’s still a major talent at 6’4” and 208 pounds and a right-shot D with some Aaron Ekblad to his skill-set, certainly a good thing. But, Verhoeff, who predictably had some growing pains as a freshman at North Dakota last year but was still good enough to play against guys five to six years older, seems this June draft’s absolute wild card. He could go anywhere from two to 10 (San Jose at two, Nashville at 10). Right now, scouts like offensive D Chase Reid (Michigan commit) and hard-nosed, high hockey IQ Carson Carels (North Dakota commit) more. Verhoeff, Latvian Albert Smits and Prince Albert Raiders Daxon Rudolph all bring lots of things to the table in the top third of the first round. Where do they go? Very tough to handicap.
