Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

No-trade clauses halt potential Oilers moves as two players say no

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 8:36 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers made a few moves via trade and free agency early in this 2025 offseason. The team is far from a finished product, but it already looks much different than the 2024-25 team that made a run to the Stanley Cup Final. As part of their process to change things up, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said GM Stan Bowman had conversations with several of the players who had no-trade clauses.

While it wouldn’t make sense for the Oilers to discuss every player, such as Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid, Friedman said they had important conversations with players holding no-trade clauses to gauge their willingness to move. The organization needed to know what it could do, so it sought clarity on who might be open to change.

Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane were two players who agreed to move on.

Kane’s situation was a little different in that he had a modified no-trade, but neither player stood in the way if the deal suited their needs.

However, some players didn’t want to leave.

Friedman goes on to say during his "32 Thoughts" podcast that key veterans Darnell Nurse and Adam Henrique made it clear they wanted to remain in Edmonton. Both players, understanding the team’s competitive window and the opportunity to play alongside elite talents like Draisaitl and McDavid, expressed no desire to leave.

The team also explored options in free agency, particularly on the right side for the second line, but salary cap constraints limited its moves.

With a better picture of who would be willing to go and who wouldn’t, Edmonton went to work trying to improve the team with the limited cap space it had. The Oilers signed Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar and added goaltender Matt Tomkins for depth.

Friedman says there’s a growing belief that Calvin Pickard — who performed well as a spot starter — might remain the ideal backup for Stuart Skinner. A new goalie coach is on the way, and that might be enough to bring consistency to a position where there are questions.

As for McDavid, there’s no panic regarding his future. Though his extension talks will be one of the league’s biggest stories, Friedman isn’t worried that this deal won’t get done. There’s no sense of urgency or tension, with confidence that it will simply be about McDavid saying what he wants and the Oilers making it happen.

Friedman didn’t mention Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Trent Frederic or Mattias Janmark by name. They too have no-move or no-trade clauses.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: