The Edmonton Oilers are living in the rumor mill again, and for once it’s not just about goaltending.
Under the weight of a massive 8-year, 74 million dollar contract and a rough start that has him at 10 points and a minus-10 in 27 games, Darnell Nurse has become the lightning rod for a frustrated fan base.
Social media is loaded with calls to trade him and cap-floor math that ships his 9.25 million dollar hit out in any big goalie deal.
Talk-radio fuel like Doug MacLean’s fantasy swap of Nurse for Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly only cranked the noise higher, but that does not mean the front office is actually trying to push him out the door.
This is the worst version of Darnell Nurse since his rookie season. pic.twitter.com/D4JQ322Sxt
— Blue Bullet Brad (@BlueBullet1981) November 16, 2025
Insider Cools the Darnell Nurse Trade Chatter
On Oilersnation Everyday, insider David Pagnotta poured cold water on the idea that Nurse is truly in play. He said he has not heard “by any stretch” that Edmonton is considering moving him and noted that a trade of that magnitude usually leaks in whispers long before it happens.
In reality, Nurse is in year four of his deal with a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season, which gives him complete control over any potential move.
“We stick up for each other because we care about each other.”
Darnell Nurse speaks as the #Oilers prepare to host the Kraken tonight at @RogersPlace. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/8upREECauL
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 4, 2025
Add in the difficulty of fitting a 9.25 million dollar cap hit and it becomes clear why a lot of insiders see a mid-season trade as unrealistic. For now, coach Kris Knoblauch has opted for softer adjustments, quietly nudging Nurse down the depth chart and onto easier minutes rather than sending him out of town.
Pressure, No-Trade Clause And What Comes Next
The pressure around Nurse is not going away, and that’s where Elliotte Friedman’s recent comments land. He wondered if the constant criticism and public blame has finally “gotten to him,” especially with underlying numbers that show he is on the ice for a ton of chances against and struggling to drive results at five-on-five.
That’s when the conversation shifts from his contract being untradeable to wondering if he would ever waive his no-move for a fresh start.
If the noise keeps building and the Oilers decide they need to reallocate money on the blue line, the more realistic window for any Nurse conversation is the offseason, when teams have a lot more flexibility and Edmonton is expected to be more aggressive in its goalie search.
Until then, the most likely scenario is exactly what Pagnotta described. The Oilers are stuck with him, for better or worse.
Photo Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images