The Edmonton Oilers made several moves to strengthen their roster ahead of the trade deadline. They have now won two of their last three games and currently sit third in the Pacific Division as the playoff race heats up.
But even with the team pushing forward, speculation is already building around the future of $74 million veteran defenseman.
$74,000,000 Oilers’ Defenseman’s Future Comes Into Question
Much of the speculation surrounds Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. He is now in the fourth year of his eight-year, $74 million contract. However, his performance this season has come under growing scrutiny.
In 64 games, Nurse has registered 20 points with a minus-13 rating. He has also piled up 94 penalty minutes and 73 turnovers. Numbers that have sparked criticism from fans and analysts about his defensive play.
The criticism continued in his most recent game against Vegas, when a puck deflected off Nurse and went past a helpless Connor Ingram for a goal. It marked the second straight game where a similar unlucky bounce went against him while battling in front of the net.
According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, “The Oilers at least considered the possibility of trading Nurse ahead of the deadline. The Edmonton Oilers discussed the possibility of moving Darnell Nurse. I can’t pinpoint how deep trade talks actually went, but that’s a name to watch this summer, NMC and all,” Pagnotta said.
Any deal involving Nurse would be complicated, however. The veteran blueliner currently holds a full no-movement clause in his contract, meaning he cannot be traded or waived without his approval. Later in the deal, the clause shifts to a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a 10-team list of acceptable destinations.
Because of that protection, the Nurse would ultimately control whether any move happens. Still, the defenseman could consider waiving his clause if it meant a fresh start elsewhere.
Oilers Stayed Busy at the Trade Deadline
While the Nurse rumors continue to circulate, Edmonton has already made some moves ahead of the deadline.
The Oilers struck a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach last week. In return, Edmonton sent Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 first-round pick to Chicago, with the Blackhawks retaining 50 percent of Dickinson’s $4.25 million salary.
Before that, Edmonton also landed defenseman Connor Murphy from Chicago with 50 percent salary retention in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick.
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said the new additions bring elements the team felt were missing. “When you look at those three players, they all have very specific identities, and they bring an element that I think our team was missing, and that’s what we’re most excited about… I would say this is our team,” Bowman said.
For now, Edmonton’s attention stays on the ice as the team prepares for its next challenge, a tough matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
