Sharks’ perfect offer for Oilers’ Darnell Nurse after trade request

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade, and the San Jose Sharks are the perfect fit. Nurse has spent all 12 years of his NHL career in Edmonton, but both sides agree that it is time for a change. Elsewhere in the Pacific Division, the Sharks have put together an elite group of young forwards. But they need an anchor on defense, and Nurse can be that player.

The Oilers signed Nurse to an eight-year, $74 million deal before the 2022-23 season. That means the Sharks would owe him $9.25 million per season for the next three years. While that is a high salary for a defenseman, especially one of Nurse’s caliber, San Jose can fit it in. According to PuckPedia, the Sharks go into the offseason with over $40 million in cap space.

The Sharks have won the NHL Draft Lottery again, earning the right to pick second in June’s draft. Of the eight first-round picks San Jose has made since 2021, six of them have been forwards. Sam Dickinson represents the only high-end defensive prospect in their pipeline. They may draft another defenseman second overall, but they still need a veteran to stabilize the unit.

The argument for the Sharks trading for Nurse is clear. And the Oilers are committed to dealing him this summer after his public trade request. The two GMs have even connected on a recent trade, one that sent Jake Walman to Edmonton for a first-round pick. Everything is shaping up for Nurse to head to San Jose. But what return package makes the most sense?

The Oilers cannot expect to get a lot for Nurse, considering his albatross contract. But they are dealing with a team flush with picks and prospects. Will that make a difference?

The Sharks must hold firm in Darnell Nurse trade negotiations

The Sharks go into the NHL Draft with eight picks in the seven rounds, including two first-round picks. But the Oilers cannot expect to get the second or the 20th overall pick. That second selection started in Edmonton’s organization and is the payment from the Walman trade.

If the Sharks are willing to trade away their second-round pick, that is where the Oilers should start. San Jose has the Colorado Avalanche’s second-rounder, so it will be toward the back of the round. But Edmonton could use all of the top-64 selections they can get their hands on. This would be a high price for San Jose to pay, but one Edmonton could get if they retained some of Nurse’s salary.

The Oilers should be trading Nurse away to clear salary cap space. They do not have much of it to begin with, and Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid are already getting to the end of their deals. At 31 years old, Nurse is not the offensive engine they need from the blue line. They could use the money to improve the depth scoring and give the goaltending the desperate boost it needs.

That leads to a lower return from the Sharks. If the Oilers got their hands on one of their two fourth-round selections in the upcoming draft, they should consider themselves lucky. Nurse has an upside for San Jose on the powerplay, which he does not do for the Oilers. They should be willing to make the bet, but the wager has to be smart.

The Sharks should be buyers in the trade market all offseason long. They have a special talent in Macklin Celebrini and a path to the playoffs in the weaker Pacific Division. If they can get their hands on Nurse, it would be a smart addition to an improving roster.

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