Oilers rumors: The ‘No. 1’ team on Darnell Nurse’s trade list

One of the top priorities for Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman this offseason will be determining the future of longtime defenseman Darnell Nurse after the veteran requested a trade last week.

The 31-year-old reportedly shared a list of five teams he would be willing to accept a trade to, and as The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported earlier this week, there’s a Metropolitan Division playoff club at the top of it.

“Pittsburgh may be No. 1 on Darnell Nurse’s list of five teams he would waive for, and the Penguins and Oilers have been discussing a potential trade,” Pagnotta reported on Thursday.

“Edmonton GM Stan Bowman is not going to rush into a move, but some believe we’ll see a trade around the NHL Draft.”

While discussions have reportedly taken place, there is no indication that a deal is imminent.

Nurse has spent his entire NHL career in Alberta after being selected seventh overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. He’s been a key piece of Edmonton’s blue line for more than a decade, although his recent postseason performances have drawn criticism from both fans and media.

The Oilers reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025, but after a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks this spring, change appears to be on the horizon in Edmonton.

Nurse has four years remaining on a contract that carries a $9.25 million cap hit through the 2030-31 season. While the deal has often been criticized around the league, Nurse continues to log significant minutes and remains capable of playing in a top-four role.

The Penguins are flush with cap space, with PuckPedia projecting them to have more than $37 million available this summer. That would make it relatively easy for general manager Kyle Dubas to absorb Nurse’s contract, and the veteran could potentially slot alongside either Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang on Pittsburgh’s blue line — assuming one of those veterans is not moved first.

It will be interesting to see whether Bowman and Dubas can find common ground on a deal, and what kind of return Edmonton would ultimately receive.

If Pagnotta’s reporting proves accurate, we could have an answer to that question sometime in the next week — with the NHL Draft potentially providing the backdrop.

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