Panthers interested in Blue Jackets' Ryan Murray?

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers interested in Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray?

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 10/2/20

Bill Zito and the Panthers are projected to have nearly $22 million in cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly, and it appears the new Florida general manager is looking to strengthen his defense corps.

According to TSN's Elliotte Friedman, Zito is trying to pry defenseman Ryan Murray from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Friedman: “There’ve been reports #MNWild and #SJSharks are talking a Devan Dubnyk / Ryan Donato deal, and it may happen. I’ve heard #FlaPanthers are in on Donato. I’ve had guys tell me they wouldn’t be surprised if Bill Zito tries to bring in Ryan Murray from #CBJ.”
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) October 2, 2020

Murray has one year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $4.6 million.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire career with the Blue Jackets but was limited to just 27 games this past season due to a back injury. Murray has been injury-prone throughout his career, appearing in just 358 of a possible 589 regular-season and playoff games due to various ailments.

With the amount of cap space the Panthers have, some better defensemen will be available on the open market come the start of free agency. However, they have plenty of players who need to be signed to new deals, including Evgeni Dadonov, Mike Hoffman and Erik Haula, among others.

Murray's $4.6 million cap hit is much more reasonable than the contracts both free-agent defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Torey Krug are seeking, making him a less expensive option for teams looking for help on the blue line.

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