Today’s Colin Timberlake Training Inspiration is a man who, on a strong 1980s Chicago Blackhawks team that featured some elite scoring stars, made his mark by being one of the most defensively sound and fundamentally strong forwards in the NHL. So it was that Troy Murray checked and ground his way into the engraving of his name on the Frank J. Selke Trophy.

Being a solid defensive forward is not the NHL’s most glamorous role. On a team where the adoration of fans was reserved largely for scoring superstar Denis Savard and legendary slapshot maestro Doug Wilson, it was up to Troy Murray to do a lot of the thankless dirty work, the smart defensive plays that rarely make the late night highlight reels.

For 15 strong seasons Murray skated in the NHL, leaving an indelible mark on the league when he was recognized with the Selke Trophy in 1986, given to the league’s best defensive forward. Just as critical as Savard’s many goals and Wilson’s many assists had been to the success of the Blackhawks, so had the many broken opposing rushes caused by Murray been an integral part of Blackhawks lore.

He was a key penalty killer for the Hawks, regularly put into one of the most physically taxing and exhausting situations hockey can provide. He was 5th in the league in shorthanded goals one season and 7th in another, and presently sits in the top 60 in league history in this category with 20 goals while his team was down a man.

Murray played in 915 NHL games, scoring an impressive 230 goals and 584 points, and enjoying a spectacular offensive year as well during his Selke Trophy season: 45 goals and 99 points.

Murray won the Stanley Cup during his final season, when he raised the Cup as a veteran leader with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

TODAY: DAY OFF

Not the finest example of consistency and hard driving in the style of Troy Murray, but today is a rest day.

TRAINING NOTES

Total Sets (Body): Zero

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