A Special Guest for Chicago

Todd Lesenko’s much anticipated upcoming return to the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series may also  include a very special guest appearance.

During the NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Joliet (June 27-30th) famed Chicago Blackhawks forward and now Blackhawks TV and Radio broadcast analyst Troy Murray is scheduled to make a weekend appearance at the event.

“Troy and I have been long time friends and we actually played a lot of hockey together in the past,” said Todd Lesenko.  “We are hoping that Troy can be a guest this weekend but the timing of that is still a bit undetermined because of the Blackhawks versus Bruins Stanley Cup playoff schedule.”

Troy Murray

Troy Murray is in his 13th year as a member of the Blackhawks broadcast team and his eighth year as the color analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts.

Murray was originally selected by the Blackhawks in the third round (51st overall) of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. Playing parts of 12 seasons with the Blackhawks (1981-91, 1992-94), he ranks 14th on the team’s all-time assists list (291), 15th all-time in points (488), 18th all-time in goals (197) and 18th all-time in games played (688).

Murray posted his best year in the NHL with Chicago during the 1985-86 campaign, becoming the first Blackhawk to win the Frank J. Selke Award as the NHL’s top defensive forward that year. That same season, he also notched career highs in goals (45), assists (54) and points (99).

A five-time 20-goal scorer and veteran of 15 NHL seasons, Murray appeared in 915 career NHL games, scoring 584 points (230G, 354A) and drawing 875 penalty minutes while playing for Chicago, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Colorado. He also appeared in 113 playoff games, recording 43 points (17G, 26A) and 145 penalty minutes. Murray was a member of Colorado’s Stanley Cup Championship in 1996.

On June 15, 2012, Murray and broadcast partner John Wiedeman received top honors in the “Sports Play-by-Play” category at the 2011 Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Awards.

A pillar in the community, Murray, his wife, Konnie, and three children, Blake, Julia and Phoebe, maintain a residence in Chicago. While serving as the Studio Analyst for Blackhawks television broadcasts (1999-2004), Murray also worked as a trader at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Posted by:  Bruce Biegler