Who Will Be The Islanders' Sixth Defenseman Come Opening Night?

Ryan Murray

This is not the first time someone has mentioned Ryan Murray and the Islanders in the same sentence. It is rumored that back in 2012, then GM, Garth Snow, offered the Columbus Blue Jackets the number four overall pick along with the Islanders' six other draft picks that draft, in exchange for the number two pick in order to select Murray. Nothing ever came to fruition and Columbus selected Murray second overall. The Islanders wound up selecting defensemen with all seven selections that year, ultimately settling for Griffin Reinhart at number four and later Pelech at pick 65.

Since making his NHL debut in 2013, Murray has bounced around the league and has seen his fair share of injuries. Only twice has the 28-year-old played over 60 games in his nine NHL seasons. Most recently, Murray missed 45 games and did not appear in the playoffs with the Colorado Avalanche due to a hand injury.

There is nothing that shows that Murray is capable of playing a full season. If the Islanders were to inquire about his services it would likely be as a depth defenseman or someone who could rotate in and out of the lineup with Salo. Unlike Salo and Sebastian Aho, Murray could provide more size and experience on what would ultimately be a cheap, short-term deal.