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Troy Murray, who played 15 NHL seasons and was a long-time analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks, has passed away at the age of 63.
On Saturday, March 7, confirming the news of his death, Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said in an emotional statement, "The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply heartbroken today as we mourn the loss of Troy Murray, our beloved 'Muzz', and our love and support go out to his family."
Murray had battled cancer since 2021 and had stepped away from Hawks radio broadcasts on WGN this season amid worsening health.
The statement added, "He jumped at every call to support our local community with our Foundation. He never missed a chance to say 'hello' in our press box and always knew the perfect time for a joke just when someone around the office needed it most."
Murray, who was selected by the Black Hawks in the third round of the 1980 NHL draft, played his first 10 NHL seasons in Chicago.
During his final NHL season in 1995-96, Murray helped the Colorado Avalanche secured the Stanley Cup.
Following his playing career, Murray joined the Blackhawks broadcast team in 1998 and spent five years (1999-2004) as a studio analyst and two seasons (2003-04, 2005-06) as a colour commentator before partnering with John Wiedeman in the radio booth in 2006.
Troy Murray type of cancer:
After being diagnosed in 2021, Troy Murray was receiving chemotherapy treatments every other Monday. While he did discuss his treatment journey, specific details about the type of cancer were never disclosed.
However, in a 2021 interview with NHL.com, Murray said he has the same treatment schedule as Blackhawks broadcaster Eddie Olczyk, who was diagnosed with stage colon cancer in August 2017 and was cancer free on March 2018.
"During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn't have any 'give up' in him. While our front office simply won't be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We'll miss you, Troy," the heartfelt ode concluded.
Murray finished his career with 584 points (230 goals, 354 assists) in 915 regular-season games for Chicago, Colorado, the Winnipeg Jets, the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He also had 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 113 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
