In the first period of the Blackhawks’ first game against the Red Wings, Connor Murphy’s pairing with Nikita Zadorov looked completely dysfunctional.
By the third period of the Hawks’ second game against the Wings, Murphy and Zadorov were wrapping up a dominant performance.
The equally dysfunctional opponent means their transformation should be taken with a grain of salt, but Murphy’s near-perfect game with Zadorov on Sunday nonetheless revealed potential for that duo to evolve into the Hawks’ shutdown defensive pair.
“Just two bigger guys that are going to take pride in defending,” Murphy said after the 6-2 win. “Tonight we seemed to do a better job of closing guys down on whoever’s side of the ice it was, and then being close to support to each other to try to make good plays out of our zone.”
The Hawks out-attempted the Wings 14-7 and out-chanced them 8-5 during that pair’s ice time.
That possession advantage translated into zero Wings goals and three Hawks goals, including Murphy’s second-period top-shelf snipe that permanently shifted the game’s momentum.
Murphy in particular looked like the very optimal form of himself, a high bar to begin with.
The 27-year-old defenseman not only maintained excellent gap control and positioning in his own zone, but also won the puck back numerous times, made clean plays to jumpstart transition attacks and jumped into the play himself at the right times.
The goal extended his ongoing point streak to four consecutive games, the longest of his career. Previously never much of an offensive threat, Murphy incredibly ranks fifth in points among all NHL defensemen so far this season.
“He’s so strong in battles and getting on the right side and [being] physical,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He helps us get out of ‘D’-zone. His puck play has continued to improve. He’s making a lot more clean plays on the breakout once he does get the puck back and that helps. He’s also willing to join as a fourth or fifth guy on the attack.”
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Sunday’s excellence demonstrated how much Murphy and Zadorov, two guys who didn’t know each other until roughly a month ago, have gelled since first being put together Jan. 19 in Florida (three games ago).
Their first two outings together were subpar, with opponents out-attempting the Hawks 29-25 and out-chancing the Hawks 15-11 during their ice time.
And in the aforementioned first period Friday against the Wings, Murphy several times had to motion to or yell at Zadorov to get in the right position, including once when defending a rush and another moment setting up for a defensive zone faceoff.
After spending more time together, though, their communication improved dramatically Sunday.
“That’s always going to happen when it’s someone that’s new on a team, and then especially new as a pair,” Murphy said. “You seem to develop chemistry on certain plays, whether it’s neutral zones or even off draws or in the ‘O’-zone. You know where a guy’s going to be at a certain spot on the ice.
“I didn’t even know that I was completely open on a couple ‘D’-to-’D’ [passes], and he’s got a good view on his peripheral ... to be able to see me and snap it over.”
Their rapid improvement together is especially encouraging because of how nicely their unity allows the rest of the defensive pairs to sort out.
Duncan Keith and Adam Boqvist possess strong chemistry after spending much of 2019-20 together, and an ultra-veteran partner like Keith is probably most beneficial for Boqvist as he goes through his current growing pains. Calvin de Haan and Ian Mitchell, meanwhile, are fast developing a similarly fruitful relationship.
If Murphy and Zadorov can translate their breakout game into a consistent run of shutdown defense — something the Hawks haven’t experienced much in recent seasons — the Hawks will benefit and young Boqvist and Mitchell will, too.
