MINNESOTA WILD TRADES DEFENSEMAN RYAN MURPHY TO NEW JERSEY FOR DEFENSEMAN MICHAEL KAPLA
Jan 30, 2019Minnesota Wild General Manager Paul Fenton announced Wednesday the NHL club has acquired defenseman Michael Kapla from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Ryan Murphy.
Kapla, 24 (9/19/94), tallied 16 points (1g, 15a) in 45 games with the Binghamton Devils in the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. He ranked third in scoring amongst team defensemen and T-4th on the team in assists. Kapla notched 21 points (5g, 16a) and 22 penalty minutes (PIM) in 63 games with Binghamton during the 2017-18 season. He ranked second amongst team defensemen in scoring and T-2nd in goals and assists.
The 6-foot, 200-pound native of Eau Claire, Wis., signed as a free agent with New Jersey on March 28, 2017, and made his NHL debut on March 31, 2017 at the New York Islanders. He skated in five NHL games with the Devils in 2017-18. Kapla owns 37 points (6g, 31a) and 32 PIM in 108 AHL games with Binghamton.
He recorded 92 points (17g, 75a) and 102 PIM in 161 games during four seasons at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (2013-17). He was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team, the Hockey East Second All-Star Team and the NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team in 2017 and the 2014 Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
Murphy, 25, (3/31/93), tallied five points (2g, 3a) in 23 games with Minnesota after being signed as a free agent on July 1, 2017. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Aurora, Ont., has recorded 109 points (17g, 92a) in 172 career AHL games with Iowa and Charlotte.