Murchison’s game right now is a mixture of good moments and bad moments. At times he makes smart decisions and creates options for his teammates, but then at others he finds himself chasing plays, resulting in him being out of position and giving up chances. He makes his stride look effortless, having very smooth transitions on pivots, not losing any speed or momentum. He has good speed, but doesn’t have an extra step to win a lot of races for loose pucks. He’ll join the offensive rush, while also showing that he understands when he needs to retreat and get back to defend. Is able to maintain solid gaps. Can be aggressive and physical, not being shy to use his body and make a solid hit. Uses his body and strength well along the boards to pin opponents. Defends the rush well, angling out his opponents into the boards, leading with his stick before committing with the body. Keeps a very active stick, getting it in the passing lanes and taking away space. He carries the puck well under pressure, knowing how to put his body between the attacker and the puck, fighting off incoming sticks, but generally looks for the pass instead. It would be interesting to watch him get more involved in the offensive zone, but that doesn’t seem like his style. Has a good shot and a quick release, but needs to improve on shot location and selection. Most of his shots are low-danger attempts. He shows good awareness in his own zone, but you’d like to see him react faster to the play. He doesn’t have a very low defensive stance, keeping his ankles fairly straight with no flex. More bend would be nice so that he can increase his defensive circle. Murchison displays tools that will make him effective at the next level, but he will have to improve on his decision-making and consistency. The long-term best-case scenario for him is a steady bottom-pair defenseman.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide