Edmonton Oilers Struggle to Find Trade Takers for Overpaid Darnell Nurse

The Edmonton Oilers are trying to move Darnell Nurse amid a $2 million question that looms over their trade talks. With a full no-move clause, Nurse is reportedly shopping his name to a short list of teams, mostly from the Eastern Conference, with the Los Angeles Kings being the lone Western Conference exception. Despite interest, the $9.25 million annual cap hit on Nurse’s contract is proving to be a major hurdle for potential suitors.

David Pagnotta of Hello Hockey confirmed on June 13 that teams are calling, but the contract is the main issue. “I believe there’s an appetite to retain a little bit,” Pagnotta said. However, teams are hesitant to eat more than $2 million annually. The Oilers must decide whether to retain a portion of his deal or take back a bad contract to facilitate a trade.

Nurse’s contract breakdown reveals that while his cap hit is $9.25 million, the actual cash the Oilers owe is slightly lower. For the 2026–27 season, Nurse will receive $2 million in salary and a $6 million signing bonus, totaling $8 million. The following three seasons see $1.2 million in salary plus $6 million in bonuses each year, totaling $7.2 million annually. This gives teams a slight financial reprieve but still makes Nurse a costly asset.

Speculation points to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a possible trade destination. General Manager Kyle Dubas worked with Nurse in junior hockey and could be interested. Would Dubas consider taking on Nurse if the Oilers sent back a player like Ryan Graves? Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers are also reportedly considering Nurse, though acquiring Owen Tippett from Edmonton is not realistic.

The Kings, led by Kenny Holland, who gave Nurse the original contract, could be a logical landing spot. The Oilers might consider getting Alex Laferriere in return, but other assets would likely be needed to sweeten the deal. The San Jose Sharks and others are also checking in, but it’s unclear how open they are to taking on Nurse’s full cap hit.

Despite the challenges, Nurse remains a tradeable asset. Darren Dreger of TSN, however, downplayed the interest, saying with all due respect to Darnell, “I think you’d see the cricket emoji…” if teams were honest about their true level of interest.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Oilers must decide whether to eat $2 million or more of Nurse’s contract or take back a contract to make a deal work. The decision will shape their cap flexibility and future trade options. For now, the Oilers remain in talks, with no final decision expected before the NHL’s July 15 trade deadline.