Former Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Murphy Living Homeless

By Bob Heyrman | Aug 25, 2018

Manager of the Detroit Red Wings ice hockey team Jacques Demers (left), poses with his team's first round, first place pick, Canadian player Joe Murphy, (second left), team vice president Jim Devellano (second right), and team scout Neil Smith in the NHL Entry Draft at the Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec, June 21, 1986. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Red Wings selected Joe Murphy with the 1st overall selection in the 1986 NHL Entry Level Draft. The London, Ontario native can currently be found living deep inside a heavily wooded area near Kenora, Ontario.

When the Detroit Red Wings selected Joe Murphy in 1986 “Murph” was coming off of a remarkable season winning the National Championship with the Michigan State Spartans. For MSU Murph recorded 24 goals and totaled 61 points in only 35 contests.

Joe Murphy never really did make it with the Detroit Red Wings on a regular basis after being selected first overall. In 1987/88 Joe played in 50 games with the Wings scoring 10 goals and adding 9 helpers. Those 50 games would be far and away the most Murphy would appear in any single season of his Red Wings career.

In 1989/90 the Detroit Red Wings would send Joe Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jimmy Carson. Murphy wore number 10 along with Carson for the Wings. Carson would be the last Red Wing to wear number 10 before it would be retired in Alex Delvecchio’s honor. Murphy would go on to win the Stanley Cup that season with the Oilers, recording 14 points in 22 games during the playoff run.

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Recently the major Canadian sports media outlet TSN did a short film titled: Finding Murph. In this film Trevor Kidd along with Rick Westhead search Kenora, Ontario to find the homeless Joe Murphy. During the 15 minute film, Murphy explains that he has “remained homeless for quite some many years living shelter to shelter throughout Ontario, Canada.”

Julie Murphy, Joe’s ex-wife along with Joe’s sister Cathy Pugliese, has narrowed a specific hit from the late Shawn Burr, to the instant where Joe “changed.” It was a violent hit behind the Red Wings goal, which sent Murphy headfirst into the end boards.

Cathy would go on to talk about the “change” after the hit;

"” Joe began to do erratic things, he started to do drugs and he was starting to drink. He made these decisions to do drugs and drink. If he didn’t have a brain injury, he wouldn’t be making these types of decisions.”"

Julie remembers Joe being a very humble player. Joe and Julie have a daughter together Krystal. Krystal and her mom have been estranged from Joe for many years.

Neil Smith, the man who lobbied for Joe Murphy as a Red Wings scout talks about his excellent skating ability. Smith recalls Murph often beating players with his legs outside the circles. Smith doesn’t elaborate much but mentions hearing stories of Joe being “just different,” later in his career.

After Murph’s Oiler days, he began to move around the league often with stops in Chicago, St.Louis, San Jose, Boston and his final destination was in 00/01 with Washington.

After Murphy’s NHL career had concluded, he seems to of fell off the deep end. Murphy would send his sister Cathy a string of troubling e-mails. It was Murphy reaching out. He claimed he was in trouble. Murphy would go onto live in Columbia along with Peru before residing on the streets/sidewalks and shrubs all across Ontario.

In the video, Joe Murphy doesn’t look well. He seems fidgety and at times really sporadic with his actions. He refused to bring the crew into the woods to where he was staying and mentions he has spent overnight stays in dumpsters along his journey. I’m only speculating, but it sure seems like a clear case of CTE.

One thing during the TSN interview that stood out was Murphy claiming to reach out to the Director of Councilling at the time for the NHL, shortly after his career expired. Murphy claims to have told him he needed help and he was currently in a bad way.

He goes on to explain the response he received was “We’re sorry you’re feeling this way, but you’re out of the league now, and there is no help we can give you.”

It’s incredible that there are former players like Trevor Kidd willing to help their fraternity out later on in life. Kidd reminds us in the piece that he never did play as a teammate with Murph, but he’s still one of “us.”

Watching this piece, I hope Murphy, now 50 lands back on his feet. Hopefully, the great people who care about him like Trevor Kidd, can help him receive the proper care he needs to have some type of ordinary life in the future.

Next. Detroit Red Wings: What may be going through Henrik Zetterberg’s head. dark

I can’t help but be concerned about a player deciding to reach out for help only to be rejected. I hope these great people from TSN found Joe Murphy in time. I hope Joe can rekindle a friendship or relationship with his daughter and family moving forward. He will need their support to have a successful recovery.