Oilers Were Trying To Trade 3 Big Contracts Ahead Of Free Agency

The Edmonton Oilers were really trying to change the personnel of their team to not only open up cap space for some of the core players, but to get younger and faster. In doing so, the Oilers reportedly approached players with trade protection to gauge their interest in a trade. This included Darnell Nurse, Viktor Arvidsson, and Adam Henrique. According to Elliotte Friedman, Arvidsson was willing to waive, as we saw the result of that with a trade to the Boston Bruins, while Nurse and Henrique declined.

This isn't the best result for the Oilers this offseason, but it also wasn't the worst. At least one of the players they were looking to trade to free up space was willing to work with them to find a different and better opportunity for them. After sitting out seven playoff games on the Stanley Cup Final run that Edmonton made, Arvidsson should get top-6 time in Boston with a weaker forward group.

Henrique only has one year left on his deal at $3 million AAV, but it is fully covered by the no movement clause. The 35-year-old only scored 12 goals and recorded 27 points in 81 regular season games before posting four goals and seven points in 22 playoff games. Both were a drop-off from the season prior that was split between the Anaheim Ducks and Oilers where he scored 24 goals and 51 points and then the same goals and assists in the playoffs in five fewer games and less ice time. Henrique will play some power play and kill penalties while likely skating on the third line most of the season. He isn't as much of a burden as Nurse though.

Not Jeff Jackson or Stan Bowman's doing, the Oilers are still stuck with one of the worst contracts in the league in Nurse. The defenseman is getting $9.25 million AAV for five more years, and the Oilers will likely be stuck with it for two more years before his full no-trade clause turns into a 10-team no-trade list. While the Oilers are making deep playoff runs, Nurse's blunders and cap hit are just a big burden for the team that is trying to win and needs a little more money spread out to be able to do it.

Some would suggest that now that the interest in moving Nurse is out in the open, lean into it and play him less and actually penalize him when he plays poorly, such as sitting him or even scratching him. It may be a long-shot, but that would be one way to make him more interested in playing elsewhere when the Oilers have Jake Walman, Mattias Ekholm, and Brett Kulak able to play on the left side. Edmonton's interest in moving both won't go away. It is cap space that can be used better. A possibility with Henrique is that he has a bad start and plays less, leading him to reconsider. Not many players want off a team that is likely headed for another deep playoff run, but they are getting paid regardless and for Henrique, he also has to think of the offers he will get next summer in free agency.