Edmonton Oilers emerge as winners of NHL free agency after shedding Darnell Nurse contract

The Edmonton Oilers are being hailed as winners of the July 1 NHL free agency period, with multiple analysts crediting general manager Stan Bowman's work in clearing cap space and rebuilding the goaltending position.

The centerpiece of the Oilers' day was trading Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks without retaining any salary — a move many insiders had deemed nearly impossible. The deal also netted an asset in young defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and freed up $9.25 million in cap space for the next four seasons. "In one of the biggest one-day procurement grabs in team history, Stan Bowman delivered and then some," wrote Allan Mitchell of The Athletic.

Edmonton used that flexibility to sign veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year, $2.8 million deal with performance bonuses — a low-risk move that brings a tested starter with recent Stanley Cup pedigree. Andersen was stellar with Carolina before an injury sidelined him during their Cup Final run. The Oilers also acquired Devon Levi from Buffalo and retained restricted free agents Kasperi Kapanen and Connor Murphy at reasonable cap hits.

Meanwhile, San Jose — the Oilers' free-agency counterpart — faced heavy criticism for absorbing Nurse's full contract while also signing defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year, $33 million deal. That gives the Sharks over $17 million tied up in two aging defensemen for the next four years. "San Jose absolutely overpaid," wrote Mary Clarke at Yahoo Sports, noting the team showed poor cap management before its playoff window.

Edmonton still has over $6 million in cap space and the flexibility to address any remaining roster needs. The Nurse trade and subsequent signings represent a significant organizational reset for the Oilers.