Bruins Add Murphy, Kinsella

Feb 8, 2017

AUSTIN, MN – With the NAHL trade deadline passing, the Bruins have added two players to the roster, acquiring veteran forward Jack Murphy from the Minot Minotauros and adding former Odessa Jackalopes defenseman Joe Kinsella. Both players are ’96 birth-years, as the Bruins looked to add veteran depth and Junior hockey experience for their playoff push.

Murphy, a native of Prior Lake, MN, found a home in Minot last season, after bouncing around the league – from the Minnesota Magicians to the Kenai River Brown Bears, and finally the Minotauros. He scored 12 goals and added 14 assists, appearing in 55 of 60 regular season games. Murphy also scored two goals in the postseason – both coming in game one of the Central Division Semifinals against the Bruins, a series Austin would win in four games. In 35 games this season, Murphy has nine goals and 16 assists.

“We were looking to acquire one more winger with a little bit of size that could add some jam and some compete along with some skill,” said Bruins head coach Kyle Grabowski. “In the end, I think we were looking for someone that could do what Tanner DuFault could do for us. We think Jack can be that guy and he’s got some scoring ability on top of it.”

In exchange for Murphy, the Bruins sent defenseman Paul O’Connor to Minot. O’Connor played in 14 games for the Bruins this year upon his return from the USHL after appearing in 58 games for Austin last season.

“O.C. was a great addition for us, he was a warrior for us last year in the playoff. But we think it was the right move, and we think it was the right move for Paul too,” said Grabowski.

To fill the vacated spot on the blue line, the Bruins also added Joe Kinsella, a defenseman from Naperville, IL, who had been with the Odessa Jackalopes. Kinsella started the season with the Northeast Generals, but appeared in only three games before moving to Odessa. He put up three goals and nine assists in 36 games. Kinsella played two seasons in the USPHL with the New Jersey Hitmen, and won a Championship last season.

“We like his size,” said Grabowski of the 6’2, 190-pound D-man. “He’s won a championship in the USPHL so the kid knows how to win. That’s something we want to bring into our locker room. He’s got a good shot and a good skill set.”

The Bruins are home this Friday for Paint the Rink Pink against the Coulee Region Chill before traveling to La Crosse on Saturday to complete the home-and-home series. Gates open at 5:30 on Friday night for a 7:05 faceoff. Limited tickets are available at our vendors: Hy-Vee, Jim’s Marketplace, Games People Play, and the Holiday Inn. A live charity auction that will include the entire set of Pink jerseys plus autographed alumni items will immediately follow the game.