Troy Murray

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Murray played part of two seasons with the St. Albert Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). He also played briefly in two games with the Lethbridge Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the 1979–80 season. In his first game with Lethbridge, he scored his only goal of his WHL career. In two games with Lethbridge, he scored the one goal, one assist for two points. He joined the University of North Dakota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), trying out for the team in September 1980. He started the Fighting Sioux's 1980-81 season centreing the third line. He led North Dakota in scoring as a freshman, with 33 goals and 78 points in 38 games, and finished third overall in WCHA scoring. The Fighting Sioux qualified for the WCHA playoffs but were knocked out by Michigan Tech. He was named to the All-WCHA Second All-Star Team and the conference's Rookie of the Year. In his sophomore season in 1981–82, Murray centred the team's number one line. He finished with 22 goals and 51 points in 42 games, second on the team in scoring. The team earned the regular season title and made the playoffs, advancing to the WCHA final where they were beaten by the Wisconsin Badgers to finish second. That second-place finish qualified them for the 1982 NCAA tournament where they beat Clarkson Golden Knights to advance to the Frozen Four. They defeated the Northeastern Huskies to meet the Badgers in the final, over whom they won the championship. He was once again named to the Second All-Star Team alongside teammates James Patrick and Craig Ludwig. Murray was selected by the Chicago Black Hawks in the third round with the 57th overall selection of the 1980 NHL entry draft. He signed a three-year contract with Chicago on April 1, 1982. He made his NHL debut in the 1981–82 season on April 4, in a 4–3 victory over the Minnesota North Stars. The Black Hawks finished fourth in the division and faced the North Stars in the opening round of the playoffs. He made his NHL playoff debut on April 7 in game one of the series.

In Their Own Story

On November 25, 1983, Murray suffered a severe knee injury after being checked by Mike Foligno against the Buffalo Sabres, forcing him onto a stretcher. He returned in January 1984 to center the third line before finding his offensive rhythm on a reunited line with Olczyk and Fraser, dubbed the "Six Hundred Pounds of Beef" line. This unit exploded offensively in the 1985-86 season, where Murray recorded multiple three-point games and two career hat tricks, including a four-point night against Calgary on December 22. His peak performance saw him tally 45 goals and 99 points in 80 games. Although the Blackhawks were swept by Toronto in the first round of the playoffs that year, Murray's individual excellence was undeniable, securing his place as a Selke Trophy winner.

Reader's Guide

Murray played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 1982 to 1991 (his final season with the Blackhawks was 1990-91). He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in 1991. He later returned to the Blackhawks for the 1992-93 season. He also played for the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

Did You Know?

• Murray scored his only WHL goal in his first game with the Lethbridge Broncos.
• He led North Dakota in scoring as a freshman with 33 goals and 78 points.
• He won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1986 as the NHL's best defensive forward.
• Murray was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in 1991, not 1992.