The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Connor Murphy on the injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 31 as he's still dealing with a groin injury. While Chicago made that move, the team activated veteran defenseman Alec Martinez from the injured reserve in his place.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Connor Murphy on injured reserve Saturday because ... "It's longer than a couple days," he said. Defenseman Alec Martinez was activated from IR after he was sidelined due to a neck injury.

There might be fewer sellers around the NHL this season than usual, but the Hawks are certainly one. That scarcity of available players could drive up prices.

Martinez has missed more than a month recovering from the injury he suffered Dec. 7, which led to concerns about blood clots and vascular problems. He and his wife also went through a complicated childbirth,

The first update provided was on Murphy as head coach Anders Sorensen said the defender is being re-evaluated today again. Sorensen didn't know or didn't share exact details as he

The Chicago Blackhawks looked like they would meet the challenge of a top-tier Edmonton Oilers team. But that notion faded quickly in the second period of a 4-3 loss.