The Edmonton Oilers’ offseason received a jolt on Thursday after an article from Mark Spector at Sportsnet outlined that the Oilers and veteran defenceman Darnell Nurse are reaching a crossroads that will, sooner or later, see a parting of ways.Nurse’s contract with a $9.25 million cap hit that expires in the summer of 2030 is the pressure point for the organization. Any trade will need Nurse’s approval, and that may mean a delay of one year, but the die is cast, and the breach is public as of Thursday.The backstory on Nurse in EdmontonWhen Nurse arrived as an NHL defenceman, the future looked bright. He and fellow rookies Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl all played their first full season in 2015-16. Nurse played a feature role immediately, which was unusual for a rookie defender. His speed, ability to recover quickly and range of skills made him an instant favourite with the coaching staff. The fans loved his physicality, and his fights were often short and unanimous victories. Despite some chaos, he looked like a young player with room to grow.The decade did not roll out as expected.Part of his early progress through the system came due to injury. That meant he was accruing tenure at a rapid clip. Aided by Oscar Klefbom’s career-ending injury and a contract signed by Seth Jones of the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021 that reset the bar for players of this type, Nurse landed one of the richest contracts in NHL history for a two-way defenceman.It was an overpay. Fans and media have discussed how much excess is in the contract, but it is enough to make Nurse the centre of attention every summer since then. When the Oilers need cap room for free-agent signings and trades, Nurse’s name appears immediately.The math on Nurse in EdmontonThe Oilers have relied heavily on Nurse over the years, and in big game situations. Puck IQ has tracked Nurse’s minutes versus elite opponents for his entire career. Nurse’s rank among Oilers defencemen in the toughest situations in the game has always been near the top.Yearmins v elitesRankGoal Pct2015-164082632016-171626472017-185391562018-195262492019-204821582020-214291512021-225841552022-235291562023-244273432024-253564552025-26451346All numbers five-on-five, via Puck IQDuring his career with the Oilers, Nurse has finished outside the top four among defencemen once. That came in 2016-17, a season in which he was injured and played in 43 games.
Why Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse is at a crossroads in Edmonton
Nurse, whose contract with a $9.25 million cap hit expires in the summer of 2030, has a full no-movement clause.
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