USA’s Abbey Murphy leaves world championship quarterfinal with injury
Some concern for the favorites at the IIHF Women’s World Championship.
During their quarterfinal matchup with host nation Denmark on Friday, United States forward Abbey Murphy exited the game due to an apparent lower-body injury.
During the first period of the contest between the top-seeded Americans and underdog Danes, Murphy was involved in a knee-on-knee collision with a Danish player, leaving the USWNT veteran in discomfort as she trudged off the ice. When the second period began, it was reported that the 24-year-old wouldn’t be returning to the contest.
It’s too early to tell the severity of the injury or whether Murphy was removed from the game as a precaution, as the U.S. was leading Denmark 5-0 after 20 minutes. If it ends up being serious, it could spell trouble for the Americans, as Murphy has proven to be a sparkplug for the team’s offense. Murphy didn’t score in the quarterfinal matchup, logging just 3:42 of ice time across six shifts.
The former University of Minnesota star has been productive for the U.S. thus far. Murphy scored three goals and two assists for five points in the group stage, sitting tied for eighth on the team in scoring, as the Americans finished atop Group A, outscoring their opponents 31-2.
While the U.S. wouldn’t like to see Murphy miss any time, the Seattle Torrent are probably holding their breath. The team took the Illinois native with the second-overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft, hoping she can bring some life to a team that’s coming off a dreadful inaugural season, where the Torrent finished with the worst record in league history.
This year’s tournament is Murphy’s fourth trip to the Women’s Worlds. She has helped the U.S. win two gold medals (2023, 2025) while also taking home the silver medal in 2024. Murphy was also a huge part of the United States’ triumph at the Winter Olympics, scoring seven points in seven games.