Report: Oilers' Darnell Nurse Linked to Offseason Trade

The Edmonton Oilers are in for some massive roster changes.

Defenceman Darnell Nurse has been linked as a prime offseason trade candidate, and it has a lot to due with his contract. Nurse is signed through the 2030 season at $9.25 million AAV, and it's expected that the Oilers will approach Nurse in the coming weeks for a list of teams he'd approve a trade to. Nurse holds a full no-movement clause until the 2027-28 season.

Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin cites Nurse as a cap casualty and expects to see the mobile defenceman moved this summer:

The Oilers simply must find a way. They barely have the cap space even to re-sign the UFAs and maintain status quo on a roster Connor McDavid called “average,” and the goal is to get better. If it means 50 percent retention on Nurse’s AAV, the Oilers have to consider anything that improves their Stanley Cup chances across McDavid’s two-year contract. Nurse would have to waive his NMC for any deal, of course, but after more than a decade in Copper and Blue, might he want a respite from the pressure cooker anyway?

Nurse appeared in all 82 games last season but had a very down year, scoring just seven goals and adding 17 assists for 24 points. He averaged 20:58 and saw rare time on the Oilers' power play and was a staple on their penalty kill.

Reports have surfaced the Oilers and Maple Leafs were working on a Nurse for Morgan Rielly and Nic Roy trade, however, the Leafs ended up trading Roy to the Colorado Avalanche for a future first-round pick and talks broke off.

As far as potential destinations, keep an eye on the San Jose Sharks who need to add defenceman and money to their cap.

Photo credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images