Maple Leafs, Oilers Weighing Future of Rielly and Nurse Amid Trade Speculation

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers are facing a crossroads with two of their most prominent defensemen, Morgan Rielly and Darnell Nurse, as trade speculation intensifies. Both players are entering the twilight of their careers with contracts that are becoming increasingly difficult to justify from a performance and cap standpoint. As teams weigh the risk of a change-of-scenery move, the market for Rielly and Nurse is shaping up to be anything but straightforward.

Rielly, who signed a seven-year, $56 million contract with the Leafs in 2020, is coming off a season where he averaged just 0.8 points per game and struggled with consistency in his own zone. Nurse, who signed a five-year, $35 million deal with the Oilers in 2022, has seen his production dip as well, averaging 0.6 points per game in the 2024–25 season. Both players are entering their age-30 seasons and are playing over 25 minutes per game, a workload that has started to show wear and tear.

The core question is whether Rielly and Nurse are victims of mismanagement or the natural result of aging. Their contracts were signed in different eras of the NHL and now represent high-risk assets for any team considering a trade. For example, when the Boston Bruins traded Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars in 2017, he went from averaging 32 goals a season to 39 in Dallas. Similarly, Ryan O’Reilly flourished in St. Louis after leaving Buffalo, winning a Selke Trophy and helping the Blues win a Stanley Cup in 2019.

The challenge for the Leafs and Oilers is finding a team willing to take on the cap hit and offer a new role. For Rielly, a team like the San Jose Sharks has been rumored as a potential landing spot, where he could play a top-pairing role with less pressure. For Nurse, a team looking to add a veteran presence in the top four might consider him, but the cap hit remains a hurdle.

The key to any successful trade for either player would likely involve salary retention or a trade for a younger, cheaper asset. Teams like the New York Rangers or Boston Bruins could be interested in Nurse’s experience, but they would need to see a clear upside in return. The Leafs, meanwhile, are already facing a cap crunch and could benefit from shedding $8.5 million in cap space if Rielly is moved.

As the 2025 trade deadline approaches, both the Oilers and Maple Leafs will be under pressure to make a move. The market for high-minute veterans is thin, and any trade will likely come with strings attached. For now, the focus remains on whether a change of scenery can breathe new life into two once-dominant defensemen.