Edmonton Oilers
Why Oilers Trading Darnell Nurse for Dougie Hamilton Is Being Debated
Would it make any sense for the Edmonton Oilers to swap Darnell Nurse for Dougie Hamilton?
Whenever a player — especially a big-name one — becomes available via trade or free agency, fanbases around the league naturally start wondering whether their team should get involved.
Dougie Hamilton is the latest to hit the market, as he and the New Jersey Devils work towards an inevitable split. While very few would peg Edmonton as a landing spot, some of Oilers Nation aren’t against the idea of looking into acquiring the former 70-point defenseman.
In fact, one fan floated a bold one-for-one swap of Hamilton and Darnell Nurse, two polarizing, big-ticket blue liners.
“Dougie Hamilton for Darnell Nurse straight up. Both get a change of scenery, let’s f****** ride OilersNation.”
The 32-year-old Hamilton is in the fifth season of the seven-year, $63 million contract he signed to join the Devils as a UFA in 2021. He’s struggled mightily in 2025-26, managing just 10 points (five goals, five assists) through 40 games with New Jersey.
Meanwhile, Nurse, 30, is in year four of the eight-year, $74 million extension he signed with the Oilers back in 2021. He’s also had his share of ups and downs this season, having produced 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) across 45 games played.
The Oilers Might Be Better Off As Is
While the idea of swapping Nurse for Hamilton is intriguing on the surface, Edmonton may actually be better off sticking with what it has.
Hamilton is known for his offensive prowess, something the Oilers already possess plenty of on the back end with Evan Bouchard, along with contributions from Jake Walman, Mattias Ekholm, and even Nurse himself, so adding another offense-first defenseman shouldn’t be a priority.
Despite being constantly under the microscope because of his contract and inconsistencies, Nurse brings a more physical, defensive style of game that the Oilers need to get through another deep playoff run. He’s not a perfect player by any means, but he’s also not as bad as many make him out to be.
If anything, GM Stan Bowman should be focused on upgrading the defense corps around him, with several right-shot defensemen available who would come at a lower cost and better fit what Edmonton actually needs.
Next: Rumored Raise Pausing Plans by Oilers to Re-Sign Roslovic
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