Darnell Nurse has reportedly asked for a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. With that news, does he make any sense as an option for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
With the latest reports, it appears that Darnell Nurse's time with the Edmonton Oilers will be coming to an end soon.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Mark Spector have shared that the Oilers, as well as Nurse, would like to move on. Nurse has spent the past 12 years with Edmonton, featuring in 798 regular-season games and 100 post-season contests.
Attached to this, Nurse has reportedly provided the Oilers with three to five teams that he would consider going to. The no-move clause in his contract allows him to have a say in where his next home will be.
With this news, does Nurse, a Hamilton, Ont., native, make any sense as an option for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Without thinking about it too much, there isn't much that promotes a fit for Nurse in Toronto, other than growing up in the area.
Starting with his salary, Nurse carries a $9.25-million cap hit. That's a hefty chunk of change for a defenseman who hasn't really performed up to that standard since signing that deal in August 2021.
Technically, the Maple Leafs can handle that number as they have a projected cap space going into next season at $22.3 million. That's, of course, without factoring in any players that will require new contracts, or any other additions in free agency.
But no team in the NHL that is serious about playing meaningful hockey next season would be willing to take on all of Nurse's $9.25-million cap hit. And though the Maple Leafs were far from great last season, the expectation is to turn the ship around in 2026-27 and get back into the playoff race.
There is the possibility of the Oilers retaining some of Nurse's contract. But Edmonton is a team that will be looking to challenge for the Stanley Cup, just like they have for two of the past three campaigns. So keeping some of Nurse's contract on their books would only hold the Oilers back from making additions to the roster.
On top of that, Nurse's contract still lasts for the next four seasons, which would be a long time for the Oilers to retain a percentage of his deal.
Even when disregarding his contract and the percentage of the cap that will go to Nurse, he hasn't been in the greatest of form lately.
The 31-year-old is coming off another poor year in Edmonton, with one of his worst campaigns in terms of production offensively, scoring seven goals and 24 points in 82 games. That marks his lowest scoring season since 2017-18, when he scored 11 points in what was his second full year in the NHL, and only across 44 appearances.
In addition, he was on the wrong side of the puck more than usual this year, registering a minus-12 rating. That's the lowest plus-minus rating he's reached since his rookie season in 2015-16.
The Maple Leafs indeed could use a shakeup on the back end, but Toronto need defensemen who can advance the puck, something they lacked under Craig Berube and the current D-corps. However, Nurse isn't exactly the answer in that department, and is similar to the personnel that already make up the Leafs' blueline.
Even if a deal somehow lined up for included 32-year-old Morgan Rielly to go the other way for Nurse, the Oilers D-man's cap hit is more than Rielly's by $1.75 million, and Rielly is likely a better overall player.
With any team, Edmonton will likely have to sweeten the pot with a few more assets going to their trade partner, along with Nurse, especially if the Oilers are not expecting to retain any of Nurse's salary. If Toronto happens to be the trade partner, they'll really need to be convinced to take on a defenseman that won't truly bolster the Leafs' defense, nor does it make financial sense.
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