Oilers Explored Darnell Nurse Trade Prior to the Deadline

The Edmonton Oilers were quite active ahead of last Friday’s NHL trade deadline, though the moves they ultimately made didn’t necessarily grab any headlines.

Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach were all solid acquisitions that already have — and will continue to — help the Oilers down the stretch. Those three weren’t, however, the big swing some expected, and while rumors about Edmonton potentially trading Darnell Nurse felt rather far-fetched at the time, a recent report suggests they may have had more legs than many really thought.

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According to insider David Pagnotta, GM Stan Bowman and the Oilers did in fact discuss trading Nurse, and while it’s unclear how far those discussions went, it’s something to watch for this offseason.

Pagnotta wrote:

“Don’t shoot the messenger, but 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,”

The 31-year-old Nurse is in year four of the eight-year, $74 million extension he signed with the Oilers back in 2021, which includes said full no-movement clause through 2026-27.

It’s been a difficult 2025-26 season for Nurse, who currently sits with 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) produced across 64 games while sporting a -13 rating along the way.

A Nurse trade might not have come all that close to happening last week, though the fact that Edmonton is opening up to the idea and laying the groundwork for a potential move signals that this certainly isn’t the last we’ll hear about this story.

Finding a landing spot that will not only take on his full $9.25 million cap hit, do so without forcing the Oilers to attach an asset of major value, and also be a destination that Nurse would waive for creates an extremely complicated process.

That said, the salary cap will continue to rise, and Nurse getting a hint that the team may be preparing to move on could help set the stage for a potential deal as early as this summer. By the end of next season, his full no-movement clause drops to a modified 10-team no-trade list, so soon enough, the ball will no longer be in Nurse’s court. At this point, he has to know that if his play doesn’t improve, his time in Edmonton could be nearing its end sooner rather than later.

Next: Oilers’ “Offseason Must Be One of Change”, It’s Time to Have the Talk