Rob Murphy is equally adept at rubbing players out along the boards as he is in setting up the power play from the point.

Small but Rugged Murphy may be Guppies best
By Dickie Dunn June 3, 2003


The Killingworth Guppies produced outstanding hockey players long before Robert Murphy arrived in 1996.

No. Rob Murphy isn't the first great Killingworth Guppies player. Not by a long shot. But he might be the best.

"I think he is No. 1," says Dave Armenia, top sponsor and forward on the Guppies. "Rob is enjoying an unbelievable career and he's still got lots of hockey left in him."

Murphy is capable of playing any way the game is headed. Unlike some defensemen who excel either on the offensive or defensive side of the puck, the 27-year-old Newington native is equally adept at rubbing players out along the boards as he is in setting up the power play from the point.

"He is the ultimate competitor," says Killingworth goaltender Joseph Linskey. "Rob hates to lose any little battle, whether it's just coming out of the corner or racing up the rink. It doesn't matter, he hates to lose. I think of the game vs the Knights earlier this year when we were down by a goal with just over 4  minutes left. The Knights had scored 3 in a row and were manhandling us and basically had us on the ropes. He scored a goal seconds after they took that lead and changed the momentum. We won because of Rob's goal.  The determination in that man is tops, bar none."

The determination that has come to characterize his whole career first started to show itself in 1994 when Murphy joined the CCSU Ice Hockey team fresh from High School. It developed through six seasons in the highly competitive ACHA and Super East, strengthened during seven prominent seasons in Killingworth and ultimately earned him the distinction he receives today.

Murphy is tough on the ice but loves to show his softer side off the Ice with his biggest fan

"Rob is a special breed," explains former Killingworth teammate Steven Fink, now an assistant Captain with the Charlotte Shenanigans. "He is probably as determined an athlete as I have ever seen. He's a guy that truly competes and plays the way the game is supposed to be played. Rob thrives off of competition. He did when he first came into the League and he does now.

"Being the best is not something that he has ever taken lightly. I truly believe that what makes him such a quality player and future Hall of Famer is his love for the game. It's nice to be able to say in all honesty that here's a guy that truly plays for the passion of the game. There's probably no other player who more enjoys going to the rink."

"He is a great competitor," says Marc Crayton, the Guppies' assistant Captain  "Rob is tough, a good playmaker and has a good shot. I think his biggest asset is he comes to play every night and doesn't give a damn about anything or anybody, he just wants to win."

Skeptics might suggest that Murphy is past his prime and that the marathon minutes he has logged throughout the years have taken their toll. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"It almost like he's getting better," says Killingworth team captain Brian Kelly. "Rob doesn't slow down. It seems that he has found the fountain of youth. He works hard every summer and comes to the rink ready to play. You've got to keep your head up when he's out there because he'll take the body. He doesn't seem to age but just keeps going and going."

"Sooner or later it has got to end," says Murphy. " But I'm fortunate enough to be on a team here in Killingworth. We've got a veteran team, a skilled team, and it's not like I have to take the puck and go end to end. We've got different roles for different guys and I enjoy playing here. I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world with the chance I got here in Killingworth."

The workhorse on the blue line not only contributes to team success on the ice, but his presence in the locker room will bear dividends for years to come as young players witness first-hand the commitment necessary to excel as a top defenseman.

"Murph is a tremendous role model for our young fans," said Kelly. "He's able to be a leader on the ice and a family man off it."  

 Crayton said. "Rob still has great passion for the game and as long as players don't lose that passion, he can play forever, especially Murph!"

 


 

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