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***notorioustig*** · 03-01-2019, 01:23 AM

(Word count: 852)

Hamilton, ON - After what could be generously called an underwhelming rookie season, and less generously called a blatant disappointment of a rookie season, a former 4th overall pick of the Hamilton Steelhawks has so far silenced a chorus of critics with his play thus far in S46.

Tig Murphy, a high-powered offensive defenseman in his junior days, struggled mightily as a rookie for the Steelhawks in S45. Despite being chosen to play top-four minutes on a consistent basis, he was clearly outmatched and found it difficult to use his skating and puck skills to create offense at the professional level. While he was not an outright liability on the defensive side of the puck, he was still a young defender and often struggled while playing against fully-grown opponents for the first time, finishing with a minus-five rating on the season. He finished with the lowest point total of any regular on the team, with just one goal and ten assists - eleven total points.

Through eight games in S46, Murphy sits in a tie with several other players for 11th in league scoring with nine points - a far cry from his offensively shy rookie season and almost tying his S45 output in less than one-fifth the games.

So what has changed for the young defenseman? A pro scout source from another team in the league complimented Murphy's ability to learn from a trying year and implement the harsh lessons he learned as a young player in the world's best league. "The biggest thing I've noticed having watched a couple of their games is that he's playing like he believes he's an SHL player," said the source, who wished to remain anonymous. "Last year it was obvious he wasn't trying to make plays, he was just trying not to screw up. Now he's playing with the same level of authority he had in junior hockey that made him such a high draft pick. He's using his skating and puck skills to create space and then using his vision to set up his teammates. With the number of chances he's created, I'm honestly surprised he's only averaging an assist per game."

His improved play has been noticed by the Steelhawks coaching staff, who have confidently deployed Murphy on the first pairing thus far. Defensive partner and grizzled veteran Ben Dover was similarly complimentary of his young partner. Dover noted that Murphy's renewed confidence was infectious, and made playing with the energetic sophomore fun. "He's so fast and skilled that sometimes you see him wind up behind the net and you know something fun is going to happen."

The consensus is that Murphy's play is an emergence of a highly-regarded talent, but one noted critic believes his early run is nothing but an unsustainable fluke. Steve Simmons, a controversial media personality affiliated with the Toronto North Stars who has been critical of Murphy in the past, spent a segment of his Thursday radio show lamenting the attention the young Steelhawk is getting. "He'll never be a real defenseman," said Simmons. "He's picking up some assists now because his forwards are good but that will dry up just like it did last season. He's too soft to ever impact the game meaningfully - I don't think I've seen him throw a hit, maybe ever." Murphy has 17 hits in 8 games thus far.

While nobody is more relieved at the early burst of success than Murphy himself, he knows better than anyone that he needs to keep the momentum going. "I think last year I had four or five points in the first ten games or so," he said, shaking his head. "So it seemed like things were going pretty good at that point. Only finishing with 11 points was disappointing but I think I learned a lot about myself and how to be a professional throughout it all. Confidence is the most important thing for me right now - I've been having an impact on games because I'm actually making things happen instead of just reacting and trying to keep my head above water. Luckily I've been rewarded, now the trick is to stay consistent."

With two high-profile defenders selected in the recent SHL draft at 1st and 2nd overall, some had wondered if the Steelhawks had soured on their S43 first rounder internally. Murphy doesn't see it that way. "No, of course not. We had a chance to get two potentially generational players, just because you drafted a defenseman three drafts earlier doesn't mean you should pass that up. It also doesn't mean that I'm no longer of use. In fact, I'd say it means we've got the beginnings of an all-time great defensive corps, and I can't wait for the day we lead the Hawks to a cup."

The Steelhawks will be hoping that this run of production continues from their young defender as they look to stem some early bleeding in the standings. Regardless of how the season plays out, it's clear that Hamilton's defense is shaping up to be fearsome in the future - as well as today.

DeletedAtUserRequest · 03-01-2019, 04:16 PM

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