In recent years, Edmonton Oilers fans have done their best to accept the fact that they’ll have to live with Darnell Nurse’s contract. The 31-year-old is in year four of an eight-year contract that carries a ghastly $9.25 million cap hit. It’s a significant overpay for a defenceman best suited for a second-pairing role.
Making Nurse’s contract all the more troublesome is that it carries a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season, making it an even trickier, if not impossible, deal to trade. The reason being, of course, that Nurse would need to agree to any such deal.
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Most wouldn’t see a reason for Nurse to sign off on any trade. After all, he’s already playing for a Stanley Cup contender, and has served as part of the Oilers core for many years. Perhaps criticism from the fan base is beginning to weigh on him, however, as there have been more and more reports suggesting he could be moved in the offseason.
Though Nurse would need to agree to a trade, all this speculation surrounding him has some thinking he may not be as against the idea as he once was. If that’s the case, the Oilers should be all over moving him, though doing so wouldn’t be easy. It’s unlikely that he’d be willing to accept a trade to a struggling team, meaning that if he is moved, these four organizations would seemingly make the most sense.
Carolina Hurricanes
Despite being a Stanley Cup contender for several years, the Carolina Hurricanes are often a team that leaves cap space available. That’s the case once again, as they currently have north of $8 million in space. They could also be looking to add a left-shot defenceman on the back end as Mike Reilly is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this offseason.
Though Nurse’s contract isn’t ideal, he provides the type of physical presence and tenacity that head coach Rod Brind’Amour loves. He also wouldn’t need to be relied upon for much offence given that they have other puck movers on the back end in Shayne Gostisbehere, K’Andre Miller, and Alexander Nikishin.
When it comes to moving Nurse, the Oilers are likely going to have to either retain, or take a bad contract back in return. One such player they could consider is Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has four additional seasons remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $4.82 million. Though it’s far from an ideal contract, it’s one that the Oilers would likely be OK taking if it allows for them to move Nurse.
Detroit Red Wings
Another strong team in the East with a lot of cap space is the Detroit Red Wings. They currently have over $11 million to work with, and have Travis Hamonic’s deal coming off the books in the offseason. Though Nurse is far from perfect, he would undoubtedly help improve their back end.
One player you wonder about as a potential return piece from the Red Wings is JT Compher. The 30-year-old is under contract through the 2027-28 season on a deal that pays him $5.1 million. He’s also managed just 24 points in 2025-26, making his contract one which GM Steve Yzerman would like to ship out.
Anaheim Ducks
As mentioned, it’s tough to envision Nurse wanting to leave a Cup contender in Edmonton, but one could certainly understand why joining the Anaheim Ducks could be intriguing. Not only is it one of the better cities from an off-ice perspective in the NHL, but it’s also a team that is quickly transitioning back to being a Cup contender.
The Ducks have more than $10 million in cap space, and will have even more room in the offseason. Not only will they be free from the $2.5 million used as retention on Cam Fowler’s deal, but they have three key defencemen in John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas set to become UFAs.
Assuming they aren’t able to re-sign all three, the Ducks will be in the market for a blueliner this offseason, and Nurse fits the bill. He would provide some much-needed physicality on a back end that has plenty of young talent including Jackson Lacombe, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov. They don’t have many bad contracts on the books, though Alex Killorn, who has one season remaining at $6.25 million, is a player they would more than likely be willing to move on from.
Chicago Blackhawks
Though they may not be as intriguing as the Ducks just yet, the Chicago Blackhawks are a team that many around the league wouldn’t be upset to join. Though the 2025-26 season has been a struggle once again, they have plenty of great young talent on their roster and look like they are slowly on their way to becoming contenders once again.
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While some think the Oilers window is beginning to close, the Blackhawks is only just being cracked. Not only do they have a ton of cap space, but they could also use some help on the back end as they try to put together a better roster around Connor Bedard. Nurse would help them in that regard.
Oilers Need to Make It Happen
Though Nurse has been unfairly criticized in Edmonton at times, there’s no denying his contract has hurt the organization. He simply hasn’t lived up to the $9.25 million cap hit he commands, which has had devastating impacts for an Oilers team who has come so close to winning a Stanley Cup. Should they be able to move on from Nurse and use that money more wisely, they may finally be able to win their first championship since 1990.
