Columbus Blue Jackets restricted free-agent defenseman Ryan Murray accepted his one-year qualifying offer and will be paid $2.825 million for the 2018-19 season, the team announced Saturday.
Murray, the club's second overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, has failed to live up to the hype of being such a high selection, but will get a chance to prove himself on a one-year deal. He'll be an RFA once again next summer, but will have arbitration rights.
Injuries are the main reason Murray has been labeled as a draft bust. Over the last two seasons, he's missed 64 games. In 2014-15, he only made 12 appearances in the Blue Jackets' lineup.
However, it wouldn't be surprising if Murray, who will be 25, excels next season if he can have an injury-free year. After all, defensemen tend to take longer to develop compared to forwards, and his growth has presumably been hindered by all the time he's missed.
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