No, Darnell Nurse Isn’t Going Anywhere-At Least Not Yet
The Edmonton Oilers have been sitting right in the middle of the NHL’s trade rumor mill lately, and it’s no secret what’s driving the conversation: goaltending. Edmonton’s search for a true No. 1 netminder has been a hot topic for weeks, and just about every hypothetical trade scenario seems to come with one common thread-Darnell Nurse’s name.
But let’s pump the brakes for a second.
Yes, Nurse’s name keeps popping up, especially when fans and analysts start trying to make the money work in a potential goalie swap. And yes, things got even spicier when Doug MacLean floated the idea of a blockbuster deal between the Oilers and Maple Leafs involving Nurse and Morgan Rielly. That hypothetical sent shockwaves through social media, sparking all kinds of speculation about whether the Oilers might actually be ready to move on from their highest-paid defenseman.
But according to league insider David Pagnotta, there’s no real traction behind any of that noise.
"I haven’t heard that by any stretch they’re even considering that possibility right now," Pagnotta said during an appearance on Oilersnation Everyday. **"Usually, you get some kind of whisper of something of that magnitude coming out, and I haven’t heard that, not yet.
So, I think it’s more because people are trying to connect dots and correlate one storyline to another, but I just don’t see a scenario where that’s realistic right now." **
So what’s the reality? Nurse is still very much part of Edmonton’s plans-at least for the time being.
The Contract Tells the Story
Nurse is in Year 4 of the eight-year, $74 million extension he signed in 2021. That deal comes with a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season. Translation: even if the Oilers wanted to move him, it wouldn’t be simple.
There’s no question that Nurse has been a polarizing figure in Edmonton. Some fans have grown frustrated with his play relative to the size of his contract, and when the team struggles defensively, he’s often the lightning rod. But moving a player with that kind of cap hit and trade protection isn’t just difficult-it’s borderline impossible during the season.
If something were to happen, it would most likely come in the offseason, when teams have more cap flexibility and front offices are more willing to swing big. That’s also when insiders expect the Oilers to really ramp up their pursuit of a top-tier goaltender.
For Now, It’s Status Quo
So where does that leave the Oilers for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign? Right where they’ve been-hoping Nurse can elevate his game and anchor a blue line that’s been under pressure all season.
The Oilers are still a team with high expectations and a win-now mindset. They’ve got the firepower up front, and if they can stabilize things in net and on the back end, they’re still dangerous. But barring a massive shift in direction, Darnell Nurse isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
In other words, don’t expect a headline-grabbing trade involving No. 25.
Not this season. Not with that contract.
And not with the Oilers still trying to make a run.