With Darnell Nurse, one thing comes to mind above all else: A $9.25 million cap hit. When his defensive lapses end up in the back of the net. When he takes an undisciplined penalty at an important time. When the Oilers’ maneuverability and cap flexibility are too limited to make meaningful improvements. Nurse’s contract is far from the only problem in Edmonton. But it’s obviously a much more costly one compared to players such as Trent Frederic or even Tristan Jarry. And it looked like an overpayment on Day 1 of the contract. That $9.25 million cap hit was worth 11.2 percent of the cap back in Year 1 of the deal in 2022-23. That’s territory for franchise cornerstones and elite talent. It sets lofty expectations that were impossible for him to ever meet.Set the cap aside, though, and there’s still a pretty capable defender there, in the right role and usage. It just will never be a $9.25 million caliber one. A move from Edmonton may give him his best chance to prove that. All signs were pointing to a breakup between Edmonton and Nurse this summer. The Oilers need to clear some contracts this summer, and his was an easy target. The player just beat management to the punch and requested a trade first. With a full no-movement clause, he has a lot of control in this situation. Moving Nurse won’t be easy, especially if he puts strict restrictions on where he is willing to go. But with his request in the open, he could be a reclamation project for some.What’s the blueprint for this kind of trade?The new CBA complicates things. Edmonton can’t rely on a third team to play broker in this situation and just take on a chunk of his salary; 75 regular-season days have to pass between trades. So the bones of a Nurse trade all revolve around how much cap the Oilers are willing to retain. That’s really the only way for the Oilers to get any needle-moving return. Take the Jacob Trouba deal. Anaheim absorbed all of Trouba’s $8 million cap for two years, but the Rangers only got a fourth-rounder and Urho Vaakanainen in return. Chris Kreider had more value and bounce-back potential, and only one year (at $6.5 million) remaining, but to clear that cap, New York only got a third and an iffy prospect.Because Anaheim was willing to retain 38.5 percent of Cam Fowler’s deal, which had two seasons left at $6.5 million, the Blues’ return was a little stronger: A second plus a lower-end prospect. Ideally, Edmonton would retain 50 percent and make him a $4.63 million man. Twenty or 30 percent is more realistic and could grease the wheels of a deal. Still, the Oilers may also have to take back a bad contract to move the needle here.Why would teams be interested?Nurse’s value has understandably plummeted over the past few years. The mistakes are less forgiving in Edmonton, considering its goaltending situation over the years. The Oilers’ deep runs over the last few seasons put those lapses even more front and center. A playoff-caliber team can’t afford to have Nurse playing matchup minutes; he’s far too risky with the puck and undisciplined. His penalty differential has been in the negatives every single regular season of his career, and all but one postseason. The fact that the Oilers’ offense cratered in his minutes this year hurts his value even more.His comps point to some dicey outcomes, too — Michal Rozsival, Derek Morris, Jake Muzzin and Erik Johnson are potential cautionary tales. Separate the player from that $9.25 million contract, and get him out of Edmonton (where defense was a team-wide struggle most of this year), and there could still be something left to extract. Maybe he becomes the next Brayden McNabb and extends his career. A Brad Stuart path would be pretty neutral, too. It just requires finding the right situation and partner. He needs to play with a partner with puck skills who can handle defensive-zone puck touches, such as retrievals and breakouts. Then, it’s easier to focus on what he brings. He’s battle-tested, hard-nosed and can absorb big minutes. Nurse has a long reach, can still burst up the ice with speed to join the rush, plays with an edge, kills penalties and can be counted on for leadership. General managers of playoff teams often look for players with exactly those qualities. Nurse needs more structure around him and a simplified role as a No. 4 or five.Past reclamation projects show potential. Fowler and Trouba upped their game with new teams. Rasmus Ristolainen has played some of his best hockey in Philadelphia because the team’s structure insulates him so much, even when he manages the puck poorly. Seth Jones’ game was revitalized in Florida, thanks to their defensive foundation and a role change from a No. 1 to a second-pair player.