Oilers trade Darnell Nurse to San Jose, clear $9.25M in cap space
The veteran defenceman requested a trade after falling down the depth chart. In exchange, Edmonton gets two younger blueliners.
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The Edmonton Oilers have traded Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks, ending a 13-year tenure for one of the franchise's longest-tenured players.
In the deal, the Oilers acquired defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect Zack Sharp. The trade clears $9.25 million in salary cap space with no retention, giving GM Stan Bowman significant flexibility heading into free agency.
Nurse, 31, was drafted seventh overall by Edmonton in 2013 and became a fixture on the blue line during the Connor McDavid era. But his play declined in recent years as Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm emerged as top options. He was reduced to third-pairing minutes and came close to being benched during the Stanley Cup Final.
Mukhamadullin, 24, is a left-shot defenceman who logged third-pairing minutes for San Jose last season, recording five goals and 12 points in 50 games. He's known for his defensive abilities and will need to be signed as a restricted free agent. The trade is the second move of the day for the Oilers, who also acquired goaltender Devon Levi from Buffalo earlier.
When Nurse returns to Rogers Place next season as a member of the Sharks, he should expect a warm reception from Edmonton fans who watched him grow into a cornerstone piece of the rebuild.
