Colgate Alum Cory Murphy Signs Two-Year Deal with NHL's Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. (3/27/07) - Former Colgate University defenseman Cory Murphy '01 has signed a two-year contract with the NHL's Florida Panthers, the club announced on Tuesday, Mar. 27.

Murphy, the most valuable player of the Finnish Elite League, has played in Europe for the past six years. This season, he had 50 points, including 13 goals, in 45 games as well as a +17 rating for HIFK Helsinki. Current Florida captain Olli Jokinen won a championship with Helsinki in 1998.

As a Raider, Murphy was one of the highest-scoring defensemen in school history, and served as the team's captain as a senior. He is one of just four blueliners to ever reach the 100-point mark at Colgate, and he finished his career with 111 points, which ranks 36th on the all-time scoring list and third among defensemen. His 83 career assists also rank third at Colgate. A durable player, Murphy graduated as Colgate's all-time leader in career games played with 138, a mark that has since been surpassed. Murphy owns the Colgate freshman defensemen records in both points (27) and assists (19), and his eight goals as a rookie ranks second.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Murphy is expected to make the Panthers roster next season, head coach and general manager Jacques Martin said. The Sun-Sentinel said that Martin hopes "that the offensive-minded Murphy can bolster the Panthers' power play. with his potent shot from the point."

With seven games remaining in the regular season, Florida sits in 12th place in the NHL's Eastern Conference with a 31-30-14 record. The Panthers are eight points behind Carolina for the eighth and final playoff berth.

Also from the Sun-Sentinel:

"It's good for us. There were three or four other teams that were pursuing him as well," Martin said. "We've been looking for a power-play specialist."

Panthers winger Ville Peltonen, who played against Murphy in the Swiss Elite League last year, described him as someone who likes to push the puck on the rush. "I heard this year, he was really a dominator [in Finland]," said Peltonen, a Finnish native.