Connor Murphy to make season debut against Montreal Canadiens

The Chicago Blackhawks activated defenseman Connor Murphy from injured reserve on Saturday.

Murphy, 25, is expected to make his season debut Sunday evening against the Montreal Canadiens. He missed all of training camp and the first two months of the season because of a back injury.

The Blackhawks cleared a roster spot for Murphy by placing fellow defenseman Gustav Forsling on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 5, because of a shoulder injury. Forsling has five points (one goal, four assists) in 11 games with Chicago this season while averaging 20:29 of ice time.

Murphy finished second on the Blackhawks with 138 hits in 76 games a season ago. He has 63 career points (15 goals, 48 assists) and 179 penalty minutes in 334 games with the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago.

During Murphy's injury absence, the Blackhawks fired longtime coach Joel Quenneville and replaced him with 33-year-old Jeremy Colliton. But Murphy said he was not worried about adapting to a new style of play.

"That stuff will come," Murphy said in comments published by the Chicago Tribune. "I don't know if you want to let that creep in your mind, thinking too much about systems or different personnel. But just going out and having fun and competing at my hardest will be what I'm looking for."