Darnell Nurse has requested a trade out of Edmonton, and on Sunday the Oilers' blue line situation just got a whole lot messier.
Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey named the Pittsburgh Penguins as the first team that stands out to him in connection with a Nurse deal, dropping the report on June 12.
Pittsburgh is an interesting fit on paper. Kyle Dubas is running a franchise that finished 98 points strong this past season, second in the Metropolitan Division, and he's been aggressive when he thinks a piece can move the needle.
The Penguins already carry Erik Karlsson at $11.5 million through the back end of his career. Adding Nurse at $9.25 million would stack the blue line payroll in a way that demands everything actually works.
And that's the uncomfortable question. Nurse posted 24 points in 82 regular-season games this year, going -12. No power play goals, no power play assists.
He went pointless in six playoff games against Anaheim, though he was a +4 over that series. The offensive production just isn't there for that cap number anymore.
Nurse's $9.25M cap hit is the real issue for any team
Think of it like buying a luxury sedan at full sticker price and then discovering the heated seats don't work. The contract was signed for an elite two-way defender. The production has drifted well below that tier.
To be clear, Nurse was 31 this season and finished the year healthy. The issue isn't availability, it's output. Seven goals across 82 games from a $9.25 million blueliner is a problem no matter which building he plays in.
For Pittsburgh, the cap math matters. Dan Muse is their coach, and he inherits whatever roster Dubas assembles this summer.
Edmonton went 41-30-11 this past season, leaned on Connor McDavid's 138 points to stay relevant, and still exited in the first round. At some point the back end becomes the conversation.
The two teams split games this past season. Pittsburgh won 6-2 in Edmonton back in January. Edmonton had taken a 6-4 win in Pittsburgh in December.
Whether Dubas actually makes a run at Nurse is another story. The cap number is real, the fit is debatable, and Pittsburgh has its own blue line questions to answer.
Seravalli's take from Frankly Hockey is at:
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What's clear is that the Nurse era in Edmonton appears to be ending. Where he lands, and at what cost, will tell you a lot about how the league actually values that contract right now.
Should the Pittsburgh Penguins trade for Darnell Nurse at $9.25 million?
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