Man of the Week: Trevor Murphy
KHL.ru’s weekly column goes on with Trevor Murphy. The Canadian defenseman, at his sixth season in the league, is currently one of the top scorers in the league and just broke a club record for Sibir.
Trevor Murphy is continuing to surprise this season. In a recent home game against CSKA, Murphy notched an assist, bringing his season tally to 47 points—a new club record for a defenseman and a result good for second place in the league’s scoring race, trailing only Salavat Yulaev’s Joshua Leivo. His 37 assists this season not only set a club record for defensemen but also tied the overall club record previously held by forward Taylor Beck – another player who’s having an excellent season in Novosibirsk.
Murphy’s impressive performance has been instrumental in Sibir’s pursuit of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Novosibirsk side is currently the eighth seed in the East, with a three-point advantage over ninth-placed Lada.
Early years
Born on July 17, 1995, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Murphy’s junior career in the Ontario Hockey League began with the Peterborough Petes, where he played 60 games in the 2011–2012 season, recording 20 points. He was later traded to his hometown team, the Windsor Spitfires, in November 2012. During the 2014–2015 OHL season, Murphy had a breakout performance, tallying 63 points (24 goals and 39 assists) in 59 games, ranking him among the top-scoring defensemen in the league.
Despite his junior success, Murphy went undrafted in the NHL, maybe also due to have never competed in the OHL playoffs. However, his potential was recognized by the Nashville Predators, who signed him to an entry-level contract on Sept. 17, 2015. Murphy then went on spending the majority of his time with the Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. In the 2015–2016 AHL season, he recorded 32 points (11 goals and 21 assists) in 59 games. The following season, he improved his output to 33 (12+21) over 75 appearances.
Murphy then made his NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes during the 2017–2018 season, appearing in eight games and registering three points (one goal and two assists). Despite this stint, the majority of his North American professional career was spent in the AHL, where he consistently contributed offensively from the back end.
Transition to the KHL
Seeking new opportunities, Murphy signed a two-year contract with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL in the 2019 offseason. In his inaugural KHL campaign, he appeared in 60 games, recording 27 points (10 goals and 17 assists). The following season, he contributed eight assists in 17 games before being traded to Ak Bars Kazan on Dec. 4, 2020. With Ak Bars, Murphy added another eight points (two goals and six assists) in 21 games and contributed four points in eight playoff games as Kazan lost to Avangard, en-route to its first Gagarin Cup triumph.
On August 17, 2021, Murphy was traded to Sibir, where he has since become a cornerstone of the team’s defense. In the 2022–2023 season, he set a club record for defensemen with 46 points (10 goals and 36 assists) in 62 games. He continued his stellar play into the 2023–2024 season, contributing 17 points (six goals and 11 assists) in 31 games as he missed the first half of the campaign due to an injury.
Record breaker
The 2024–2025 season has been particularly good for Murphy. So far, he has played 46 games, recording 10 goals and 37 assists for a total of 47 points, numbers that put him in second place in the league’s scoring race. These stats not only highlight his offensive capabilities but also underscore his consistency and durability.
Murphy’s ability to contribute offensively while maintaining defensive responsibilities makes him an invaluable asset to Sibir as the team vies for a playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, his strong play guaranteed him a spot at the upcoming KHL All-Star Game, scheduled in Novosibirsk on Feb. 9. Murphy will be at his second appearance at the All-Star weekend.
