The Edmonton Oilers are in a rare position where the same market that once raised the value of Darnell Nurse could now help them fix their situation.

In the 2021 offseason, similar contracts around the league, including Seth Jones’s $9.5 million per year deal in Chicago, helped push Nurse’s extension to $9.25 million per year over eight years.

At that time, Edmonton had little control. Now, the situation is very different, and it could work in their favour if they choose to move him.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli said on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer that the trade market for defensemen is very tight. Teams do not want to lose depth on their blue line when making moves.

As Seravalli noted, teams are basically saying they do not want to weaken their own defense by trading it away. This creates a rare opportunity for Edmonton, especially for a player like Nurse who still has strong top-four value.

The Edmonton Oilers are also seeing a shift in their own thinking, as Darnell Nurse now fits better with both his value and the team’s plans. NHL insider Frank Seravalli said on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer that Edmonton’s position has changed, but the exact quote was not provided.

Nurse is still viewed as a steady second-pairing defenseman in the regular season. Because of that, there is still strong interest in him, especially with teams having more salary-cap space.

With the NHL salary cap rising to $104 million and only a few quality defensemen available, teams looking for help on defense have limited choices.

Because demand is higher than supply, Darnell Nurse could become a much more valuable trade target than many people expect. This situation could allow Edmonton to get a strong return instead of retaining salary or adding assets in a trade.

A Thin Defensive Market, Rising Cap, and Edmonton’s Strategic Window

The Edmonton Oilers are in a stronger position because the overall NHL market for defensemen is very limited. Free agency does not offer many top-four options, with only a few names like John Carlson, Rasmus Andersson, and some depth veterans available.

This shortage increases the trade value for a player like Darnell Nurse, who can play heavy minutes.

Another reason the Edmonton Oilers could have an easier time trading Darnell Nurse is his contract structure. His $9.25 million cap hit gets a lot of attention, but his actual salary drops to $8 million next season and $7.2 million per year for the following three seasons.

Because of that, teams with plenty of cap space may view him as a more attractive trade option than many people expect.

In today’s market, similar defensemen would likely cost $7–8 million per year in free agency. Because of that, many teams may no longer see Nurse’s contract as an overpay.

Edmonton Oilers insider Frank Seravalli believes even two or three interested teams could create a bidding war for Darnell Nurse in a thin defense market, where playoff teams are searching for reliable top-four options.

If Nurse is moved, Edmonton could reshuffle its defense. Young and depth players like Atro Leppanen, Damien Carfagna, and Alec Regula may step into bottom-pair roles, helping the team free up cap space and reset its blue-line structure.

What do you think? Will the Oilers capitalize on the surging defenseman market to finally move Darnell Nurse?

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi