Oilers make significant roster changes
The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenceman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks, marking the end of his tenure with the Alberta capital team. This move was part of a series of transactions by General Manager Stan Bowman on Wednesday, the opening day of NHL free agency. In exchange for Nurse, the Oilers acquired Russian defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin and college defenceman Zack Sharp from San Jose. A key aspect of the trade was that Edmonton did not retain any of Nurse’s salary, which was a priority for Bowman.
Nurse, who was drafted seventh overall by Edmonton in 2013, played in 798 regular-season games and 100 playoff games for the Oilers. He recorded 88 goals and 236 assists for 324 points in the regular season, along with 725 penalty minutes. In playoff appearances, he contributed 29 points, consisting of seven goals and 22 assists. Nurse had signed an eight-year, US$74-million contract with Edmonton in 2021.
The trade was facilitated by Nurse expanding his three-team trade list to include the Sharks, who were reportedly the only interested party willing to take on his contract without salary retention from the Oilers. This decision allowed Edmonton to free up significant cap space, potentially as much as $8 million, depending on the cost to renew Mukhamadullin’s contract.
New additions and re-signings
Following the trade, the Oilers quickly utilized the freed-up cap space to make several new signings and re-signings. They signed free-agent defenceman Ryan Shea to a five-year deal with an annual average value of $4 million. Shea, who had six goals and 29 assists in 80 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, is expected to bolster the defensive lineup.
Edmonton also acquired depth goaltender Devon Levi in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres, sending a 2028 third-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for Levi and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Levi, once considered a top goalie prospect, played the past season with the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League. Bowman expressed optimism about Levi’s potential, stating he sees a lot of upside in his game.
In addition to these acquisitions, the Oilers re-signed several players. Winger Kasperi Kapanen signed a one-year deal with a cap hit of $2.6 million, and forward Max Jones re-signed at $850,000 per year. The team also added veteran depth winger Mathieu Joseph on a one-year, $1 million contract. Furthermore, goaltender Frederik Andersen was signed to a one-year contract worth $2.8 million. Andersen, a veteran of 13 NHL seasons, had a 3.05 goals-against average and an .874 save percentage in 35 regular-season games last season. He also contributed to a Stanley Cup championship with a 1.89 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 16 postseason games.
Impact and future outlook
General Manager Stan Bowman commented on the changes, acknowledging that while they traded a strong player in Nurse, the incoming defencemen, Mukhamadullin and Sharp, are expected to bring different elements to the team and provide a significant boost to the defence. He also confirmed that netminder Tristan Jarry would be returning next season.
At the close of the day, the Oilers had 21 players signed with just over $7.4 million in cap space remaining. This financial flexibility provides Bowman with options, including potentially acquiring another goaltender with a higher pedigree to complement Jarry. The team believes they can achieve similar production by allocating approximately 60% of Nurse’s previous cap hit to other players.
Nurse reflected on his time in Edmonton, acknowledging that the high cap hit led to warranted criticisms of his play. He stated that he lives with each game and moment, learning and growing from them. He also noted that while some criticisms were warranted, others were not, and for various reasons, he became a focal point for discontent. Nurse leaves Edmonton having played in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers.
The Sharks, in addition to acquiring Nurse, also added defenceman Jacob Trouba, forward Mason Marchment, and goalie Eric Comrie in free agency.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
