A lock for top 4 D is the same as us saying Girgensons is a lock for 3C, fancy Murray for Girgensons? I'd consider it if you need just C depth, but for top end talent you gotta exchange top end talent normally or create a very very valuable overpayment package. There is a big gap between lock for top 4D and pretty sure-fire 2C still on ELC.
Yes and what I'm saying is that Murray is top end talent.
The Jackets are insanely loaded on defense. Their "top end talent" doesn't end at Werenski/Jones/Savard. It includes Murray as well. Last season he began on the 2nd pairing with Savard. He took an elbow to the head and missed a few games. During that stretch, Johnson stepped up and had great chemistry with Savard. When Murray returned, he was the only one who Torts trusted to play on his off-side with rookie Nutivaara.
At the end of games when the Jackets were protecting a lead and on the PK, Torts benched Werenski in favor of Murray. He opted for a Murray-Jones pairing in the biggest situations.
Honestly, Werenski could break his leg in the preseason (god forbid) and be out for the season. If the Jackets top-4 consisted of Murray-Jones and Johnson-Savard, I'd be perfectly fine with that. So why not trade Werenski instead? Because he's younger and cost controlled.
To paraphrase GMJK, having Murray on the 3rd pairing is a luxury that few other teams have.