Following Darnell Nurse’s blockbuster trade to San Jose, Edmonton pivoted quickly to land the former Penguins standout, Ryan Shea. They are banking on his elite plus-minus rating and significant salary cap flexibility.
The Edmonton Oilers made a swift move to reshape their blue line, trading Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks before quickly filling the void with a former blueliner from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Less than an hour after the Nurse deal was finalized, Edmonton signed left-shot defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year contract worth $4 million annually.
Shea, 29, is coming off a breakout 2025–26 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he recorded 35 points (6 goals, 29 assists) in 80 games while posting a team-best plus-30 rating. Known for his steady two-way play, Shea also emerged as a reliable penalty killer.
Shea took an unconventional path to the NHL. Originally drafted by Chicago in 2015, he spent time developing in multiple systems before signing with Pittsburgh in 2023. His late-career surge got him noticed in free agency.
The Oilers are betting Shea can build on his breakout, especially given the significant cap savings compared to Nurse’s previous deal.
In a separate move, Edmonton also signed forward Eduards Tralmaks to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000. Tralmaks is coming off a 26-goal, 42-point season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins and adds depth with penalty-killing ability.
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