The Edmonton Oilers liked what they saw from defenseman Connor Murphy, so Monday they signed the pending free agent to a five-year contract with an annual average value of $4.1 million.
Murphy finished last season with the Oilers after a trade from the Blackhawks. In 20 games with Edmonton, he finished with one goal and four points, averaging 20:26 time on ice while playing on coach Kris Knoblauch's second defensive pairing with Darnell Nurse.
A native of Dublin, Ohio, Murphy has 14 NHL seasons under his belt. He was the No. 20 pick in the 2011 draft by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Murphy will enter next season two goals shy of 50 for his career. He has reached the 80-game mark twice, including last season, when he played in 60 games for Chicago before the trade.
Murphy, 33, also has extensive international experience, having played for Team USA in the world championships five times. His last NHL contract carried a $4.4 million salary cap hit.