Murphy returns to Steelheads

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads, ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced that the club has re-signed forward Wade Murphy to a contract for the 2023-24 season. 

Murphy enters his seventh professional season, second with Idaho, after tallying 43 points (21g-22a) in 54 games last season. His 21 goals were third on the club while his 29 assists were ninth and his 43 points ranked eighth. The Victoria, British Columbia native led the Kelly Cup Playoffs in goals (12), and was tied for first in points (20) and power-play goals (5). He added just the Steelheads fifth playoff hat trick in the ECHL era propelling Idaho to a 9-3 win over Allen in Game 4 of the Mountain Division Finals on May 13. 

The 29-year-old has accumulated 94 points (38g-56a) in 174 career ECHL games from 2017-23. Prior to joining the Steelheads last season, he spent the previous three seasons in Europe tallying 23 points (5g-18a) during the 2021-22 campaign in 38 games with HK Olimpija Ljubljana (ICEHL). He suited up for Narvik Hockey and Vålerenga in the Eliteserien (Norway) in 2019-20 and 2020-21. During his stint overseas, he recorded 84 points (27g-57a) in 106 games. 

Before professional hockey, Murphy played three collegiate seasons between the University of North Dakota from 2013-15 and Arizona State University in 2016-17 totaling 24 points (9g-15a) in 66 career games. He was selected in the seventh round (185th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.