Three Potential Trade Destinations For Oilers' Darnell Nurse
Darnell Nurse's time with the Edmonton Oilers should be coming to a close this off-season.
Nurse has requested a trade from the Oilers, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Mark Spector. Nurse reportedly gave the Oilers three to five teams he would be willing to waive his full no-movement clause to join.
Nurse wanting a fresh start certainly helps the Oilers in their attempts to move him. However, with Nurse having a $9.25-million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season and coming off a down year, there are obstacles to any potential trade.
Oilers Want To Free Up $9.25 Million With Nurse Trade. Can They Spend It Wisely?
The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly trying to trade Darnell Nurse, mainly to clear his cap hit and use that space to address holes on the roster. If history is any indication, the Oilers might not use that space well.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins remain in a transitional period between the Crosby, Malkin and Letang Era and whatever core comes next. Kyle Dubas is trying to build the future without hurting the team's playoff chances.
Dubas has excelled at bringing in players who bounced back in Pittsburgh, such as Anthony Mantha and Yegor Chinakhov. He even acquired Brett Kulak in the Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry trade and eventually flipped him to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline.
Nurse is no NHL youngster at 31, but he still has four years left on his contract and could be a great player to help tie one era with the next.
Bringing in Nurse should strengthen the left side of Pittsburgh's blueline, which consists of Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Girard and Ryan Graves. At the very least, he's an upgrade over Graves.
The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta also reported that the Penguins are on Nurse's trade list. With this and the Penguins' defense needing a boost, it would make sense for them to target Nurse this summer. Edmonton's ultimate goal is likely clearing Nurse's cap space, and the Penguins could get some other valuable assets if they weaponize their cap space.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski And Darnell Nurse
More teams are showing interest in Red Wings center Dylan Larkin; there's some speculation about Zach Werenski's future with the Blue Jackets, and Darnell Nurse submits his trade request to the Oilers.
Philadelphia Flyers
Sticking in the Metropolitan Division, the Flyers are another potential landing spot for Nurse. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jackie Spiegel recently reported there is mutual interest between the Flyers and Nurse.
The Flyers took a big step forward this season and have more than enough cap space to afford Nurse's contract if Edmonton offers some sweeteners.
There could be some competition on the left side of the blueline, with Travis Sanheim, Cam York and Nick Seeler under contract. But Nurse blocked more shots than any Flyers D-man this season, with 167, and when he is in form, he would improve Philly's depth as they prove their success this season was no fluke.
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 11:22 AM.