Oilers problem with Darnell Nurse could come to a head this season
The Edmonton Oilers are tightly pressed against the salary cap this season, and with more major contract extensions coming, they may be forced to deal with their biggest problem contract.
Former General Manager Ken Holland signed Darnell Nurse to an eight year contract with an annual value of $9.25M after he impressed greatly in the shortened 2020-21 season. However, Nurse has struggled to live up to the deal, and the problems began mounting last playoffs when he set the record for worst plus/minus in playoff history.
According to Zach Laing of OilersNation, Darnell Nurse will need to show signs of improvement this season, or the Oilers may really begin exploring methods to get him off the roster.
This offseason the Oilers already have the task of re-signing Leon Draisaitl, and it won't get easier after that. The year after, the Oilers will need to negotiate with Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Stuart Skinner as they become UFAs.
Daily Faceoff had Darnell Nurse on their list of one of the top offseason trade targets, and if more tension surrounds his play next season, the Oilers ability to compete with him, and his massive contract, then they may be forced to make a move - especially when faced with the next wave of contract extensions.
The rising salary cap will certainly help the Edmonton Oilers in this case, but they'll also need to make the best possible use of their cap space to extend their competitive window and build a complete roster around McDavid and Draisaitl.
Source for all Nurse stats: PuckPedia
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Oilers will have to move Darnell Nurse in the next two years? | ||
| Yes | 207 | 81.5 % |
| No | 33 | 13 % |
| See Results | 14 | 5.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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