Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson has been traded to the Phoenix Coyotes. By Brian Kersey/UPI |
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The Chicago Blackhawks traded three-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to the Arizona Coyotes on Friday in exchange for defensemen Connor Murphy and Laurent Dauphin.
"Niklas' contributions to the three Stanley Cup championship teams are well known but his dependability as a teammate, selfless attitude and the way he represented the Chicago Blackhawks on and off the ice are what made him such a beloved member of the organization," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement. "He made his debut in Chicago in 2008 and quietly established himself as one of the toughest competitors in franchise history. We wish he and his family continued success."
Hjalmarsson, 30, played his entire 10-year career with Chicago and was a member of the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup championship teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Hjalmarsson registered 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) and 20 penalty minutes in 73 games with the Blackhawks last season. He also finished the season with a team-high and a career-high 181 blocked shots, which ranked sixth in the NHL.
In 623 career regular-season games, Hjalmarsson recorded 143 points (23 goals, 120 assists) and 238 penalty minutes. He holds the franchise record for most playoff games played by a defenseman (128) with two goals and 26 assists in postseason play. A native of Eksjo, Sweden, he represented his country with a silver medal in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
"We are very pleased to acquire Niklas," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said. "He's an elite player and one of the NHL's top defenseman. He's a warrior who played a key role in Chicago's last three Stanley Cup wins. We are thrilled to have him join our team."
Murphy, 24, recently completed his fourth season in the NHL, all as a member of the Coyotes. Last season, he notched two goals and a career-high 15 assists in 77 games. In 258 career NHL games, he has 13 goals and 36 assists.
Dauphin, 22, has skated in 32 career games in the NHL over the last two seasons with Arizona, scoring three goals with an assist. Last year, he split time between Arizona and the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League.
