NHL Hot Seat Radar: Can Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane Improve for the Edmonton Oilers?

Evander Kane and Darnell Nurse are both hot-seat picks for the Edmonton Oilers this coming season, says Adam Proteau.

You’re reading the Edmonton Oilers edition of THN.com’s NHL Hot Seat Radar series. 

In this series, we’re pointing out someone on the 'hot seat' who's dealing with a great deal of pressure to generate positive results or face repercussions that could affect their future with their team. We’re also identifying another person on the 'cold seat' as someone highly likely to stay with their team because of the value they bring.

The cold seat player is a pretty easy guess for the Stanley Cup finalists, but here are two players on the Oilers' hot seat for starters.

Most of the Oilers came through as advertised in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, but if there was any dissatisfaction, it was with the inconsistent performances of Kane and Nurse. 

Kane had his best season on offense (24 goals) in the last three regular seasons, but in the post-season, he managed only four goals and eight points in 20 games. 

Injuries limited his effectiveness throughout parts of the season and playoffs, but the fact remains the expectations from the 32-year-old Kane – who earns $5.125 million for the next two seasons – are higher than he’s been able to deliver on. 

Kane has a full no-movement clause this coming season, but that changes to a modified no-trade clause afterward. Kane has to show he belongs, or new Oilers GM Stan Bowman might be interested in seeing what he could bring in on the trade market.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Nurse has four years left and a full no-move clause on a contract worth $9.25 million annually, and he was far from excellent in the post-season. 

That contract will be difficult to pawn off on another team, and it’s far too soon to even think about a contract buyout, so Nurse and the Oilers are stuck with each other for the time being. 

That said, Nurse was not and is not a lost cause. If he can get back to the form he showed in 2020-21, when he generated 16 goals and 36 points in only 56 games, the Oilers will be happy to keep him around.

(We should also note that Bowman also faces immense pressure to prove to the Oilers, NHL and hockey world that he deserved his second chance at being a GM in this league. Using his experience volunteering with Sheldon Kennedy's Respect Group to educate players and staff members is a huge part of that while making the right roster moves to justify being chosen over other candidates is another aspect.)

There’s no colder cold seat on Earth than the one McDavid currently sits on. 

As the NHL's best player right now, the 27-year-old posted his first 100-assist regular season, then followed that up with a stunningly effective playoffs with 34 assists and 42 points in 25 games. He nearly singlehandedly won the Cup for the Oilers, and while it’s hard to see him being any more dominant than he was last year, McDavid’s star still feels like it’s on the ascent.

McDavid has two years left on his contract that pays him $12.5 million per season, but when he is signed to a contract extension, McDavid will rightfully be the highest-paid player in the league.

He was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner despite not winning the Cup, and he’s already a three-time Hart Trophy winner as the regular season MVP. If McDavid never played another NHL game, he’d still be a lock as a first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer, but he’s clearly hungry to claim his first Cup. If he does get there this coming season, nobody should be surprised.

If the Oilers have anything to say about it, McDavid will be a lifer in Edmonton. He has nothing hanging over his head besides another opportunity to win it all with the Oilers. Otherwise, the only pressure McDavid is facing is the pressure he puts on himself. The Oilers have done well to surround McDavid with capable talent, but they remain McDavid’s team, and they’ll be so until further notice.

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.