Edmonton Oilers expected to lose three players this summer via free agency and trade
Photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Darnell Nurse requested a trade on June 11 and handed Edmonton a short list of destinations. He chose his own exit.
Nurse gave the Oilers a list of three to five teams he would waive for, and Pittsburgh is reportedly sitting at the top of that list.
David Pagnotta reported Thursday that the Oilers and Penguins are in active discussions, with a deal likely coming around the June 26 NHL Draft.
Stan Bowman is not rushing, but the window is narrow.
The reason Pittsburgh makes this much sense goes beyond cap space. Kyle Dubas has a personal history with Nurse from their time together with the Soo Greyhounds, and that familiarity appears to be the real driver behind Nurse naming the Penguins first.
Why the Dubas connection makes this trade inevitable
The Penguins currently carry around $38 million in cap space and can absorb Nurse's $9.25 million AAV through 2029-30 without Edmonton retaining salary.
Elliotte Friedman reported the Oilers believe they will not have to hold back much, if anything, in a deal.
Pittsburgh also needs what Nurse provides. They are competing for relevance as Sidney Crosby's career winds down, and a physical veteran defenseman fits exactly what Dubas has been hunting for on the back end.
Three departures hitting Edmonton at once
Jack Roslovic is trending toward free agency, and Adam Henrique is not expected back in Edmonton.
These three departures strip away different layers of the lineup simultaneously, not one expendable piece but a structural shift.
Stan Bowman is recalibrating around McDavid and Draisaitl, not rebuilding from scratch. The next eight days will reveal whether that recalibration adds up to something better.
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