Oilers Quietly Explored Offseason Trade of Top Defenseman

The Edmonton Oilers entered the offseason with difficult decisions to make after another deep playoff run fell short of the ultimate goal. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the team quietly approached some of its players holding no-trade and no-move clauses to gauge their willingness to move—one of those players was veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse.

Did the Oilers Officially Ask Nurse to Waive His No-Trade?

Friedman reported that while at least one player agreed to waive his no-trade clause (Viktor Arvidsson), paving the way for a move to the Boston Bruins, but when it came to Nurse, Friedman said, “I don’t think he wants to go anywhere… so that’s kind of where it ended up.” It’s unclear if the Oilers officially asked Nurse if he would be OK with them trading him, but it does sound like they wanted to get a read on his willingness to move if a trade became available. Friedman said, “They made it clear they liked being a part of something where they can win, and they decided to stay, as is their right.”

The 30-year-old blueliner, a long-standing member of the Oilers’ core, also has a $9.25 million cap hit. It’s an overpayment that, if moved, would give the Oilers some flexibility to do other things. At the same time, he’s a valuable defenseman who eats big minutes and has been a part of the team’s rise to contention, going through some tough years before becoming a contender. Nurse, understandably, opted to stay. This is a player who has endured the tough times and has become close friends with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He wants to see it through and win the Stanley Cup.

With a firm no, the Oilers became aware that their offseason business would not include the defenseman. Friedman reports that Adam Henrique also said no when asked.

Was It Risky To Ask Nurse?

While it’s understandable that the Oilers would want to gauge who was willing to be flexible with their contract clauses, some might argue that asking Nurse might have been playing with fire. Considering Connor McDavid is on the verge of a massive decision with his contract, any hint that Edmonton might be willing to trade his best friend could affect his decision.