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2 hours ago
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The Edmonton Oilers are likely going to have some defensive adjustments to make this offseason.
The defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade, and they seem likely to honor the request.
It's too early to know where Nurse will end up, but it's not too early to understand what's happening here.
It's not exactly a secret, but the reason the Oilers would be up for trading Nurse is very clear.
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Why would the Oilers trade Darnell Nurse?
This is all about money.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote this in a new article this week:
"Nurse requested a trade after spending the past 12 years in Edmonton. He’s a hard-nosed defenseman who blocks shots, logs minutes and plays with edge. The only problem? He’s paid like a cornerstone player, not just a really good one, and for an organization operating close to the salary cap in a narrow contention window, there’s a significant opportunity cost attached to Nurse’s inefficient contract. The player owns a no-movement clause and is working with the team to find a suitable landing spot."
Nurse is good, but not worth his full salary.
He's owed $9.25 million per season through the 2029-30 campaign. It was a shaky contract at the time, and it has aged even worse.
The Oilers will likely have to retain some of that salary to facilitate a deal, but they'll at least clear some off their books.
Edmonton certainly wants to maximize its roster, because the superstar Connor McDavid currently only has two seasons left on his contract.
Nurse appears not likely to be around for those campaigns.
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