Strategic Reason For Nurse to Waive No-Trade Clause for Oilers

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug seems sold on the idea that Darnell Nurse would have an incentive to waive his no-trade clause this season, even though it’s been clear in the past that he’s been hesitant to do so, and the Edmonton Oilers have no way of forcing him to do so.

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During the latest Got Yer’ Back podcast, the hosts talked about what Edmonton will do with Nurse and how the defenseman feels about moving on.

Rishaug noted that next season, his full no-move converts to a 10-team no-trade list. If Nurse believes he’s not going to finish out his contract where he is, it might actually be in his best interest to give management the green light to move him sooner rather than later. He has more leverage now to help dictate where he goes. If he agrees now, he can say, ‘I’ll only go here and here.’ The Oilers would have no choice. If he waits until next season, Nurse can only say, ‘I won’t go here and nine other places.’ That leaves 21 teams as potential landing spots, many of which he might not like.

Granted, it’s not that simple. First, a team has to want Nurse. The San Jose Sharks are a team often linked to talks, but no one has confirmed whether or not the Sharks and GM Mike Grier are really all that open to a trade.

Second, there has to be a trade that works for the Oilers, that isn’t necessarily just a salary cap dump. Jason Strudwick argued that there is still value in Nurse. Rob Brown pointed out that he plays over 20 minutes a night, logs tough matchups, and is clearly viewed by coaches as a reliable top-four defenseman — even if fans don’t always love his game.

From the Oilers perspective, they might be able to get value back. Rishaug believed that left-shot defensemen aren’t necessarily the hardest asset to find. An analytics department could likely identify several comparable options that might offer better value at a lower price point.

What Does Nurse Want and What Will His New Coach Want?

Ultimately, it comes down to what Nurse wants. He holds a lot of control in this situation, and that’s the risk teams take when handing out long-term deals with no-trade protection — eventually, it can create a difficult situation to navigate.

Also, is he someone the new coach might want on his team? Edmonton has yet to find their new bench boss and for all we know, Nurse is a player this coach believes in and thinks can help the team. He might want a season to work with Nurse and get even more value out of him.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Maple Leafs, Oilers, Canadiens & Islanders