Remember Joe Murphy?

[The Panther]

Anyone remember Jumpin' Joe Murphy? Came up in London, Ontario (a year after Craig Simpson, in the same town, went #2 to Wendel Clark in the '85 draft). After the Red Wings' horror-awful 1985-86 season, they picked Murphy 1st overall in the '86 draft. But Jaques Demers comes in then, emphasis on defence maybe, and so Murphy plays only 5 games.

He gets 50 games in 1987-88, and scores 10 goals. In 1988-89, he had played only 26 games, scoring a dreadful 1 goal and 8 points, when he was made part of the Jimmy Carson for Petr Klima-Adam Graves (and him) deal with Edmonton. His production behind Messier, Kurri, and co. was modest, but in the playoffs he came up with 14 points in 22 games and won the Cup.

Excepting the largely injured 1992-93 season, he then put together 4 solid NHL seasons in a row:

1990-91 (Edm.) 80GP 27G 35A 62PTS
1991-92 (Edm.) 80GP 35G 47A 82PTS (+17)
1992-93 (either holds out or is injured -- I can't remember -- and is traded to Chicago in February, scoring 17 points in only 19 games.)
1993-94 (Chicago) 81GP 31G 39A 70PTS
1995 (Chicago) 40GP 23G 18A 41PTS

So, in those 4 seasons he scored 255 points in 281 games. Most impressive was his run in the playoffs with Edmonton in 1992, when he scored 24 points in 16 games!

Full career stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/murphjo01.html

I remember watching him play a lot in the early '90s, and during 1991-92 he certainly seemed to be a budding All-Star. It seemed like he might live up to his #1 overall draft potential. In Chicago, he did fairly well for two seasons, but fell off his pace from 1995-1997. After that, he bounced around St.Louis, San Jose, Boston, and Washington before retiring (he did come back to score 25 goals for San Jose in 1998-99).

Overall, he has to be considered a bit of a disappointment, given his draft pedigree, but he was a very solid, consistent player for those four seasons.

What are your memories of him? Why did he disappoint? Or, did he?

Although I admired his play for a couple of seasons in Edmonton, my overall impression of him was always that he was a bit aloof. He seemed to lack passion or intensity, or some other intangible.

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[Hawksfan2828]

Of course, however I don't know what his potential was when he was drafted tho. He was decent player - all offense.

He played several seasons with the Hawks.

He was a Bernie Nicholls comparison.

 

[McRpro]

Just to add, he did indeed holdout in 92-93. Him and Kevin Lowe were both holdouts that season.

 

[feffan]

As a Blackhawks fan, with the Roenick/Chelios/Belfour era being my favourite time (wasn´t around for the Hull/Mikita...) I completley forgot that Murphy was a number 1 selection. And thoose most often stick in your mind even when busting... or especially if that´s the case maybe. Guess it has to do that no one cared about the draft back then in Sweden, so that it wasn´t as highlighted. Almost not even the players who I read stories about finding out threw reading news papers that they where drafted Was probably Sundins pick who started the interest...

But I liked him as an Blackhawk. Didn´t realise how fast he fell off the cliff after leaving Chicago.

Got to add I don´t think Murphy can be called bust. Saw it could seen as I tought that He had some great seasons.

 

[BoyntBergie]

He was a bit of a nut. I remember him flipping out one game in St Louis when he was a Bruin. Pretty interesting read on him here:
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/13/s...ree-agent-wing-to-bruins-and-feel-jilted.html

 

[fish7]

When he played in St. Louis there were stories that he always referred to himself in third person as Jo Jo. He would tell Keenan that Jo Jo does not want to do that drill. He also used to strip off all of his equipment between periods and stack it in front of him

He was a total bust here

 

[Hawksfan2828]

When he played in St. Louis there were stories that he always referred to himself in third person as Jo Jo. He would tell Keenan that Jo Jo does not want to do that drill. He also used to strip off all of his equipment between periods and stack it in front of him

He was a total bust here

That seems about right considering that was around when that "Jimmy" Seinfeld episode came out.

Jo-Jo don't play 3rd line.

 

[Martin Riggs]

I liked him on the Hawks although he was a popular whipping boy amongst friends/family. In fact "Murphy 17" was my previous moniker here. I liked me some RAM line back in '95. (Roenick Amonte Murphy). Wasn't he also on that 98 Caps team that went to the finals? I know he was a bit of a journeyman after he left Chicago.

 

[MS]

He could have been a really good player for a lot longer than he was, but he was a mercenary with a self-entitled superstar attitude who rubbed teammates and coaches the wrong way.

Was the most talented and best player on the 1990 Oilers 'Kid Line' but ended up having the worst career because, while Graves and Gelinas were humble, dedicated professionals who went to the rink every day and worked hard, Murphy simply wasn't and didn't.

 

[seventieslord]

Over the course of five seasons, he was 66th in points and 50th in points per game. Similar to what Vinny Lecavalier and Daniel Alfredsson did between 2010 and 2014. Solid but not special.

 

[bruins309]

He was a bit of a nut. I remember him flipping out one game in St Louis when he was a Bruin. Pretty interesting read on him here:
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/13/s...ree-agent-wing-to-bruins-and-feel-jilted.html

Tyson Nash hit Ray Bourque from behind into the boards, and Murphy came over and started throwing haymakers. It was one of those deals where Murphy got instigator, 5 for fighting, and a game misconduct and Nash wasn't even penalized.

I think something happened with him and he got waived and was picked up by the Capitals, where he didn't do all that much.

 

[seventieslord]

Tyson Nash hit Ray Bourque from behind into the boards, and Murphy came over and started throwing haymakers. It was one of those deals where Murphy got instigator, 5 for fighting, and a game misconduct.

I think something happened with him and he got waived and was picked up by the Capitals, where he didn't do all that much.

Jeez, if someone had asked me whether Tyson Nash and Joe Murphy ever played in the same NHL, I'd have definitely gotten that question wrong.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

who was the center on the kid line? murphy or graves? neither were natural centers right?

 

[Passchendaele]

I heard he had some uh.. let's just call it "off-ice issues".

 

[Hippasus]

He was one of my favorite Oilers when I first became a fan. Very clutch goal scorer in the playoffs in the early 90s. The Pipe Line (Damphousse-Nicholls-Murphy) was great in 91-92 and could readily lift one off his seat.

 

[Hawksfan2828]

He could have been a really good player for a lot longer than he was, but he was a mercenary with a self-entitled superstar attitude who rubbed teammates and coaches the wrong way.

Was the most talented and best player on the 1990 Oilers 'Kid Line' but ended up having the worst career because, while Graves and Gelinas were humble, dedicated professionals who went to the rink every day and worked hard, Murphy simply wasn't and didn't.

Comparable player (both on and off ice) Rob Brown, same issues same talent.

 

[mco543]

The stick sawing thing is probably the only memory I have of Joe Murphy as a player. I remember that being a moderately big news story when it happened.

 

[The Panther]

Thanks for the comments and links, everyone.

The Rob Brown comparison seems close to right, but not the Bernie Nicholls one (Nicholls had a far better career, led teams in scoring, and had a long peak -- all things Murphy didn't do). Even Brown's talent and certainly "will" to play on the ice -- and his 1988-89 season with Mario -- leave Murphy behind.

It's funny, I almost forget Murphy was part of the "kid line" with Edmonton circa 1990 (he was the eldest of the three), and I mainly remember his strong season with Damphousse and Nicolls in 1991-92 (as someone mentioned). I also remember him being strong with Chicago, but honestly I had no memory of his career whatsoever after that and I had to look up the stats to see who he played for (and indeed that he actually did play after the mid-90s).

Anyone know what he did after hockey?

 

[Voight]

Anyone know what he did after hockey?

From Wikipedia:

Murphy became the coach and general manager of the GMHL Alliston Coyotes in their inaugural season, however he took leave from the team midway through the playoffs due to an undisclosed allegation which resulted in a Trespass Order issued against him by the Town of New Tecumseth.[1] On 5 March 2014, Murphy formally announced his resignation.

Also tied for 3rd overall in career playoff OT goals.

 

[billybudd]

Murphy had a reputation for not all his dogs barking. They didn't call him "Crazy Joe" (that's the nickname I remember...not Jumpin Joe) for nothing. He got into some legal problems after his retirement and, I think, only avoided jail time due to an unspecified condition. The same condition probably was what made him a "disappointment."

What his specific condition is, I don't know, but to me, some of the stories you'd hear about him (accused Neil Smith of throwing his skate and socks into the Hudson river, supposedly once thought he was being dive bombed by a jet plane when he was on the bench) sounded a lot like schizophrenia.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

sad story. it turns out his issues were a lot more serious than a lot of us knew or suspected--

Hey, Joe…

 

[Nick Hansen]

Murphy had a reputation for not all his dogs barking. They didn't call him "Crazy Joe" (that's the nickname I remember...not Jumpin Joe) for nothing. He got into some legal problems after his retirement and, I think, only avoided jail time due to an unspecified condition. The same condition probably was what made him a "disappointment."

What his specific condition is, I don't know, but to me, some of the stories you'd hear about him (accused Neil Smith of throwing his skate and socks into the Hudson river, supposedly once thought he was being dive bombed by a jet plane when he was on the bench) sounded a lot like schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia was also the first thing I thought about after reading his wiki. A relative of mine suffered from that. Murphy reminds me of him.

 

[Lexus]

This one is sad, really sad.

This is a heartbreaking hockey story.

❤

He was the first overall pick in the 1986 NHL Draft.

His name is engraved on the Stanley Cup. Now, Joe Murphy is living homeless on the streets of northern Ontario. (Story via: TSN)

 

[Jets4Life]

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/joe-murphy-is-homeless.2530381/

 

[The Panther]

We were discussing this on the Oilers' board. Very, very sad situation, but not too uncommon, I guess.

It seems some NHL players have agreed to help out Murphy soon, or at least before the winter set in.