Fierce Edmonton Oilers playoff rival showing trade interest in Nurse: report
The Edmonton Oilers appear to have found a willing trade partner for Darnell Nurse, but they’ve run into a slight snag.
Free agency is just days away, and you’ve got to think that the urgency to get Nurse off the books before then is ramping up for the Oilers. Rumours swirled around a potential trade during last week’s draft, but Edmonton GM Stan Bowman did not pull the trigger on anything.
We knew that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers were teams on Nurse’s trade list, and we learnt that the Boston Bruins are also joining that group of teams. It was also reported that the LA Kings were on that list, but it appears that may not be the case.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers might be trying to get Nurse to waive to a fierce division rival.
“I think Edmonton is trying to get Nurse to open up his list,” Friedman said on the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast. “There is at least noise that Anaheim has interest… but at this point in time, Nurse has not agreed to that.
“So we’ll see where that plays out over the week.”
The Ducks eliminated the Oilers from the playoffs this past Spring, so it is a bit curious that the two teams would come together on a trade as big as this.
If Edmonton can’t convince Nurse to open up his list to Anaheim, the Oilers will have to go back to the drawing board. Friedman revealed some of the hold-ups with the teams that are on the veteran defenceman’s list.
“Philly, I just think money has got to go out for him to come in,” Friedman said. “I think Pittsburgh was interested, but Edmonton had to take money back, which they were not willing to do, so that was the challenge there.
“And Boston, again, I think things would have to happen.”
Salary retention is going to be a big factor in whatever Nurse trade transpires. The Oilers will be looking to offload as much of his $9.25 million cap hit as possible, but it sounds like some teams are not willing to help Edmonton out in that respect.
There have been, however, some whispers from The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta that the Ducks would not require any retention. That would explain why the Oilers are so eager to do a deal with Anaheim.
“My understanding is if this trade does happen with the Ducks, there would be no salary retention,” Pagnotta said on Saturday’s edition of Hello Hockey on Edmonton Sports Talk.
“I think there is retention in place if he goes to Philly.”
The clock is ticking for the Oilers to get Nurse off the books before free agency opens on Wednesday. It’ll be up to Bowman to get things done soon, or risk hindering the team’s cap situation as the market opens.