Darnell Nurse is finally asking for what every penny-pinching Edmonton Oilers fan has been asking for years — for him to be moved. On Thursday, reports surfaced that the 31-year-old left-shot defenceman has formally approached the club that drafted him seventh overall in 2013, requesting a trade.
The veteran of 11 NHL seasons is halfway through an eight-year, $74-million contract extension, making a trade easier said than done. That contract is the primary bone of contention for many Oilers fans, who have been unsatisfied with seeing $9.25-million a season spent on a second-pairing defenceman.
Challenges in Moving Nurse
Compounding the issue is the fact that Nurse, while overpaid, is not a bad player, and would have to be replaced, which also comes at a price. This is not simply a $9.25-million wash for the Oilers salary cap. There is also the issue of what kind of incentive it could take to convince another team to take on Nurse’s contract, considering how bare the Oilers’ cupboards are, prospect-wise.
Nurse has a full no-trade clause in his contract for another year, which puts him firmly in the driver’s seat when it comes to potential buyers. Only three members of the current roster — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor McDavid — have played in Edmonton longer than Nurse, who serves as an alternate captain.
Career Statistics
Nurse has 324 points (88 goals, 236 assists) in 798 career NHL games, all with Edmonton, and a goal differential of plus-66. He has added 29 more points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 100 playoff games.
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