The Edmonton Oilers explored the possibility of trading one of their top defensemen during the offseason. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers approached players with no-trade and no-move clauses to assess their willingness to relocate. Darnell Nurse, a veteran defenseman, was among those players.
It remains unclear whether the Oilers formally requested Nurse to waive his no-trade clause. However, it appears they were gauging his openness to a move if a trade opportunity arose. Friedman noted that at least one player, Viktor Arvidsson, agreed to waive his no-trade clause, which facilitated a trade to the Boston Bruins. Nurse, however, seemed unwilling to leave Edmonton. According to Friedman, Nurse and other players "made it clear they liked being a part of something where they can win, and they decided to stay, as is their right". Adam Henrique also declined to waive his no-trade clause.
Nurse, 30, has a $9.25 million cap hit and has been a key part of the Oilers' roster for a long time. Trading Nurse would have given the Oilers more financial flexibility, but he is a valuable defenseman who plays big minutes. He has also been a part of the team's rise to contention. Nurse has close relationships with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and wants to win the Stanley Cup with the Oilers. With Nurse unwilling to move, the Oilers knew that their offseason plans would not include trading him.
The Oilers' measured approach to free agency saw them add only Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar, after trading Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane, and losing Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and John Klingberg. The team is still working to trade Viktor Arvidsson. The Oilers would like to add more edge to their bottom six, with Nick Cousins and Taylor Raddysh as potential options.
The Oilers remain in "win-now" mode after two consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. They are expected to remain aggressive in their pursuit of upgrades throughout the year. Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins could be a trade target for the Oilers. Rust's no-movement clause has expired, which makes a trade more feasible. Evgeny Kuznetsov is another intriguing name who could become a mid-season option for Edmonton.
