- David Pagnotta says Pittsburgh may be No. 1 on Darnell Nurse’s list of teams he would waive for
- The Penguins and Oilers have been talking, with a trade possible around the June 26 draft
- Read below for the Dubas connection, Nurse’s contract and where this leaves Edmonton
Darnell Nurse’s trade saga has a new frontrunner, and it isn’t Los Angeles.
The Fourth Period‘s David Pagnotta reported that Pittsburgh may sit atop Nurse’s list of five teams he would waive his no-trade clause for, and the Penguins and Oilers have already been talking.
Pagnotta laid out where things stand this week.
“Pittsburgh may be No. 1 on Darnell Nurse’s list of five teams he would waive for, and the Penguins and Oilers have been discussing a potential trade,” Pagnotta reported. “Edmonton GM Stan Bowman is not going to rush into a move, but some believe we’ll see a trade around the NHL Draft.”
Here’s Pagnotta on the Penguins fit:
The 31-year-old requested the trade on June 11 and handed Edmonton a short list of teams. A week ago, the Kings looked like the team to beat. Now Pittsburgh has jumped the line.
There’s history behind the connection. Nurse played for the Soo Greyhounds when Kyle Dubas ran the OHL club, and the two could be reunited a decade later.
Edmonton has reason to listen. Nurse is coming off a rough year, with 24 points in 82 games, a minus-12 rating and no points in the playoffs before the Oilers lost in the first round to Anaheim.
His contract is the catch. Nurse has four years left at a $9.25 million cap hit through 2030-31. Pittsburgh has the room to take it on, with PuckPedia projecting the Penguins around $37 million in space, so Dubas could slot him next to Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang.
Take a look at what Nurse brings on the back end:
The draft runs June 26. If Pagnotta has it right, Edmonton and Pittsburgh have about a week to line up a return.
