Murdoch was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, a mining community far from Southern Ontario in Timiskaming District. He grew up in nearby Larder Lake and played organized hockey in this area that saw many players go to the NHL, mainly playing on outdoor rinks.
Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario—a remote mining town distant from Southern Ontario’s urban centers in the Timiskaming District—Murdoch spent his youth near Larder Lake and played organized hockey there, an area that produced numerous players who went on to play professionally in the NHL, often on outdoor rinks.