Needing a change of scenery isn't a new concept in the hockey world. Every year, young players are moved to a different team hoping that they can find the game they once had.
It is a notion that has been following Ryan Murray around since his season ended with a broken hand. Out of sight, out of mind, Murray is the forgotten player in the defensive shuffle. As the team trends younger and more mobile, he feels like a fit.
The problem is that he comes off of his worst season as a professional and he is nearing his third contract with the team.
Where does his future with the team lie? Does it make sense to trade Murray?
The Case For
A lot of the reasons why you would want to trade him are the exact same reasons why you don't want to trade him.
Murray is young, mobile and offensively minded. He still has more room to grow and is cheap when taking the salary cap into play. He is coming off of his worst statistical season in which he played more than 12 games. This could be a slippery slope to go down.
Defensemen under the age of 25 come at a premium and regardless of talent level will be sought after for his skill set.
The Case Against
Like I said, the reasons you don't want to trade him sound oddly familiar.
He is still young and can bounce back. You would be selling the player at an all-time low value and it doesn't make sense. When picking at the high point of the draft, you expect a player to perform and serve a certain amount of games for the team. The fact that Murray hasn't hit certain games player marks has to do with his health but also his development as well.
The pieces should have already come together for Murray but considering his track record, being a late bloomer isn't out of the question.
Looking at the roster and organizational depth chart outside of Seth Jones, Zach Werenski and David Savard, you have a couple of veterans and players that are unproven in the NHL.
The Blue Jackets aren't risk averse. It doesn't seem like the most salient move given they could be dealing from a position of strength if the younger players develop properly. While a veteran, Murray falls into that company.
Likelihood: We'll See
It is a very tough tight rope to cross. There are multiple reasons to trade him and there are multiple reasons to hold him. Most general managers aren't going to trade a young player unless they know that the potential of the player is tapped.
Murray is near the end of his development and should be getting to a point where he is thriving in the league. Unfortunately for him, he has regressed almost every year since he joined the Blue Jackets.
The key for both the buyer and seller in a Murray trade is determining where he falls on the development bell curve. The Blue Jackets need to find a buyer that both thinks highly of him and also believes that he has more to give. As sellers, the Blue Jackets have not much more than promise and past highlights.
Patience is a trait not often seen in the NHL. Holding onto Murray and being patient would provide clarity where there isn't any.
