Carolina Hurricanes 2019 Draft Update: The Final Segment

F Blake Murray (6th round, 183rd overall)

Murray is another guy who was divisive among scouts, mostly for his consistency. However, it seems like that’s become a thing of the past for Murray. After a 30-goal season last year with Sudbury in the OHL that got him drafted by Carolina, he’s picked up right where he left off. He’s got 28 goals and 60 points in 55 games with Sudbury in the OHL.

Murray, who’s projected as a center, is a pretty large lad at 6-2 190. Early in the 2019 draft process, Murray was getting some first-round buzz from scouts but concerns about his overall consistency and strength led him to tumble down draft boards and into the Canes’ lap at 183rd overall.

He’s got a July birthdate, so he’s one of the younger players from the 2019 class and has some room to develop. Future Considerations, a well-respected draft site, had Murray ranked as their 9th best prospect in their initial preliminary draft rankings (they also had Ryan Suzuki 5th!) – and had Murray fall all the way to 149th in their final ranking.

OHL expert Brock Otten described Murray’s as follows:

"“He’s a good skater, but not a great one. His physical game is inconsistent. He has a good shot, but at times he hangs on to the puck too long. There are just too many shifts where he is not a factor.”"

Otten was quite excited about Murray’s upside though:

"“I think that as he fills out his 6’3 frame, he could develop into a real beast in the offensive zone. [And] 6’3, goal scoring centers do not grow on trees. If you’re drafting outside the first round, aren’t these the type of guys you take a chance on in hopes that they can put everything together?”"

Dominic Tiano of OHL Writers is also high on Murray:

"“Murray isn’t afraid to take the puck to the net himself. He’s surprisingly strong on his skates and uses body position extremely well to protect the puck, and he can do that at top speed. Despite being a shooter first, Murray does have soft hands and very good vision and the ability to become an effective playmaker.”"

All things considered with Murray, it seems the deficiencies in his game are minor things that can be fixed with hard work and patience in his development. If he can fill out his frame and add an element of consistency to his game, I think he’s got a real shot.

Obviously, this kid is a long-term project, but he’s the ideal type of guy to use a 6th round pick on. He’s got a lot of untapped upside, great measurables and a nice skill set. He’ll need some real seasoning, but there’s reason for optimism here. Best case, he develops into a nice middle-six center who can score some goals.

Estimated NHL arrival: 4+ years