The Edmonton Oilers are entering the NHL draft weekend with a significant logjam on the trade front regarding defenceman Darnell Nurse. According to TSN hockey commentator Craig Button, the deal is very much on hold because there are not enough teams on Nurse's no-trade list that he would agree to play for. The Oilers are seeking a trade for Nurse, who carries a $9.25-million cap hit for four more seasons, but they are not willing to give him away.
Limited Trade Options for Nurse
Nurse, a 31-year-old defenceman with 898 NHL games under his belt, currently has only two teams — Philadelphia and Pittsburgh — on his list of acceptable destinations. The Oilers are pushing him to expand that list, but as Button noted, "The Oilers need players now for Darnell, not prospects. I don't see Connor and Leon being happy unless that's the case." This complicates matters as the team looks to move his contract while staying competitive.
While other teams have been active in the days leading up to the draft — with trades involving Brady Tkachuk, Bo Byram, Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, Val Nichushkin, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury — there has been no movement on Nurse. The Oilers believe Nurse is a second-pairing defenceman earning first-pairing money, but they are not willing to accept a deal that does not bring immediate NHL talent in return.
Oilers Without First-Round Pick
As usual, the Oilers will be spectators in the first round of the draft. They have no first-round selection for the second consecutive year, marking only the third time in franchise history that their first pick will come in the second round. This year, barring trades, their first selection will be No. 52 overall on Saturday morning, where they are expected to target a forward — possibly Zach Olsen from the Saskatoon Blades, a worker-bee winger in the mold of Zach Hyman.
The Oilers' last second-round pick was defenceman Beau Akey, taken 56th overall in 2023. Akey, a right-shot defenceman, is an excellent skater but undersized at 173 pounds and has been plagued by shoulder issues. He did not play every night in Bakersfield during his first pro season, and the team might consider moving him in a trade. In 2006, the Oilers struck gold with Jeff Petry, a second-round pick (45th overall) who went on to play 1,048 NHL games with Edmonton, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Florida, and Minnesota.
Comparing Nurse and Byram
There has been speculation that the Oilers might target a younger defenceman like Bo Byram, who was recently traded from Buffalo to Chicago for the fourth overall pick. However, Button questioned whether Byram is definitively better than Nurse. Both are excellent skaters who like to join the rush, but each has warts. Byram, at 25, is six years younger but is now on his third NHL team, which could be a red flag. Both are considered second-pairing defencemen, and Byram is expected to seek Nurse-level money or more in his next contract.
