Oilers Leadership Group Reportedly Doesn’t Want Nurse Traded

If you were to take a poll of Edmonton Oilers fans asking for their solutions on how to improve this team, many would suggest trading Darnell Nurse. The 31-year-old’s eight-year, $74 million contract has caused plenty of headaches for both the organization and its fan base. Even worse, there are still four more years remaining on the deal.

Nurse does provide value, though not nearly enough to justify his $9.25 million cap hit. Without that deal on the books, Oilers management would have had plenty of space to fill other holes on their roster, while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl may have very well been able to win a Stanley Cup.

That Cup window has not closed for the Oilers, as both McDavid and Draisaitl appear to still be fully committed to bringing a championship to Edmonton. That said, it’s clear that in order for that to happen, big changes need to be made on this current roster. That has resulted in many discussing the possibility of moving Nurse this offseason. Unfortunately, that may be easier said than done.

To start things off, Nurse carries a full no-movement clause in his contract, meaning he would need to agree to a trade. That isn’t likely to happen, as he’s spent his entire career in Edmonton, and likely has a better chance of winning with them than he would with any team willing to take on his contract. On top of that, it appears that the likes of McDavid, Draisaitl, and the rest of the Oilers leadership group want the rugged defenceman to remain with the organization.

Oilers Core Group Loves Nurse

Though neither McDavid nor Draisaitl are calling the shots for the Oilers, management does value their input, as they should. These two have stayed extremely committed to the organization, and deserve a say, even if minimally, in what types of decisions are made regarding personnel. Based on a recent report from Jason Gregor of Sports 1440, one of their wishes is that Nurse sticks with the Oilers.