Blackhawks trade D Niklas Hjalmarsson to Coyotes for Murphy, Dauphin

Niklas Hjalmarsson of the Chicago Blackhawks in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on March 26, 2016 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Connor Murphy and forward Laurent Dauphin. 

Hjalmarsson, 30, has been a big part of Chicago's three Stanley Cup teams. His departure is the latest blow to the team's veteran defensive corps. The native of Sweden scored 28 points in 128 playoff games over a 10-year career with Chicago. 

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Murphy, 24, is an up-and-coming NHL d-man who brings huge upside. He has scored 17 points in his past two NHL seasons with the Coyotes. He is a former first-round pick in 2011. 

Dauphin, meanwhile, has played just 32 NHL games since being drafted by the Coyotes in 2013. The center scored 28 points in 38 games with the AHL's Tuscon Roadrunners this past season. 

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