Larry Murphy
Canadian Hall of Fame defenceman who won four Stanley Cups and set rookie records.
Lawrence Thomas Murphy (born March 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played over 20 years in the National Hockey League, suiting up for the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings. A durable player lauded for his perseverance and longevity with offensive capabilities, Murphy set the rookie record for most points scored by a defenceman with 76 for the Kings in 1981. He was traded in 1983 to the Capitals, where he had four 50-point seasons. He was traded late in the 1989 deadline to the North Stars, where he played until being traded to the Penguins in late 1990, where he became a mainstay of durability. In the playoffs that year, he had 23 points with 18 assists as the Penguins won their first Cup in 1991; he had 16 assists in the next Cup win in 1992. A series of trades led him to Detroit in 1997, where he played a key role in defense as the team won consecutive Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998. Murphy retired in 2001 after playing 1,615 games, which was the most played by a defenceman at the time; his 1,216 points rank among the highest at the position. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He currently serves as a studio analyst and fill-in color commentator during away games for the Red Wings on Bally Sports Detroit and coaches the 3ICE team in Minnesota.
- Key Award
- Multiple Norris Trophy Nominations
Lore & Background
As a youth, Murphy played in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Shopsy's minor ice hockey team. Murphy played junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes, where he won a Memorial Cup in 1979. The Petes also reached the championship game the following year, but lost in overtime. He represented Canada at the 1980 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships prior to being drafted 4th overall in the 1980 NHL entry draft by the Los Angeles Kings. In the 1980–81 NHL season, he set National Hockey League records for most assists and points by a rookie defenceman, with 60 and 76 respectively; it is still the record for a rookie playing an entire season as a defenseman. Murphy finished second in the Calder Memorial Trophy voting for his rookie play to Peter Stastny. On October 18, 1983, the Kings traded him to the Washington Capitals for defenceman Brian Engblom and winger Ken Houston early in the 1983–84 season. Murphy set a franchise record in game one of the first round matchup against the New York Islanders with the fastest two goals scored by a Capitals player in a playoff game, doing so sixteen seconds apart from each other in game one. Murphy had his peak in goals in the 1986–87 campaign with 23 goals to go along with 58 assists; he finished third place in voting for the Norris Trophy. Later that year, Murphy was a key member of Canada's championship team in the Canada Cup. On March 7, 1989, Murphy, alongside Mike Gartner, was traded by the Capitals to the Minnesota North Stars for Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse. On December 11, 1990, with the Pittsburgh Penguins wading in the middle of the pack due to a back injury to star player Mario Lemieux, the team traded for Murphy and Peter Taglianetti that sent Jim Johnson and Chris Dahlquist to the North Stars. Murphy proved to be a durable force for the Penguins over the next four years, dressing up for 410 out of 421 combined games. He contributed 23 assists with five goals in the last 44 games of the 1990-91 season that saw the Penguins reach the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the playoffs, Murphy had five goals and 18 assists while leading all players with a plus-minus of 17; he scored his lone goal in the Stanley Cup Final against Minnesota in the decisive game six as the final one of a 8–0 rout that saw the Penguins win their first ever Stanley Cup. The 1991–92 campaign had him contribute
In Their Own Story
The lights hummed overhead as Murphy skated out, the cold air biting at his face beneath the helmet. The crowd roared, a familiar sound from Joe Louis Arena nights past. He took a pass near the blue line, pivoted effortlessly on his edges, and sent a laser across the ice. It was muscle memory, honed over decades of grinding shifts and overtime battles.
Reader's Guide
Murphy currently serves as a studio analyst and fill-in color commentator during away games for the Red Wings on Bally Sports Detroit and coaches the 3ICE team in Minnesota.
Did You Know?
- Murphy set the NHL rookie record for most points by a defenceman with 76 in 1980–81.
- He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992, and with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.
- Murphy's 1,615 career games were the most by a defenceman at the time of his retirement.
- He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility.
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