Who Gets Traded First?: Darnell Nurse and Morgan Rielly Updates

Fans of both the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are closely watching sports news feeds as they await word on the fate of Darnell Nurse and Morgan Rielly. Both defensemen are likely to be traded in the next week or so, but where remains a mystery.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun spoke about what he’s hearing and noted there’s nothing imminent on either front, but it does sound like Morgan Rielly is more likely to move before Darnell Nurse at this point. That said, both situations are very active, and teams—especially Edmonton—are spending a lot of time trying to sort things out.

Latest on Darnell Nurse

In Nurse’s case, he’s provided the Oilers with a short list of teams he’d be open to, though it’s unclear if that list will need to expand to get a deal done. As of now, there doesn’t appear to be anything close, but there have been plenty of conversations taking place.

The most talked-about team is the Philadelphia Flyers. He’s reportedly got them on his short list, and there’s some history there with his uncle, Donovan McNabb, a former Eagles NFL star. The Pittsburgh Penguins are also said to be on his list, as are the Boston Bruins.

There’s been an interesting shift over the past 24 hours in Edmonton. Associate coach D.J. Smith was introduced to the media this week and talked about how excited he would be to coach Nurse. He noted:

“I think with his length and athleticism, he can be an elite penalty killer in this league. I coached him at the Worlds, and we had a 93% kill and net 100%, and he was the first guy out the door. I like to be aggressive, and he hasn’t really played that system (In EDM). He’s been more of a sit at the net and make reads kind of play.”

It’s still believed Nurse will get traded, but the Oilers aren’t going to give him away. People are starting to wonder if some relationships can be mended there. Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 noted, “It’s a very short list… when it’s a limited list, it’s probably not going to move maybe as quickly. If the list doesn’t expand Darnell Nurse may be coming back to Edmonton.”

Related: Is Darnell Nurse Staying After What New Oilers Assoc. Coach D.J Smith Said?

Latest on Morgan Rielly

As for Rielly, Darren Dreger reported that the teams he’s willing to consider are primarily out West, with San Jose and Anaheim believed to be among them. Both could make sense fits.

San Jose could benefit from his experience on the back end, and they don’t have many NHL-caliber defensemen under contract. Meanwhile, Anaheim may have some openings depending on how their offseason unfolds. With John Carlson heading to market and uncertainty around players like Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, the Ducks could be looking to add on defense.

Ultimately, if Rielly isn’t moved within the next week or two, the question becomes whether he’s willing to expand his list of destinations to help facilitate a trade and allow the Maple Leafs to find a new home for him.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Jets, Canucks & Oilers’ Babcock Impact