NHL Rumor Mill – June 12, 2026
Potential trade destinations for Darnell Nurse, the latest on the Blues, and an update on Sabres winger Alex Tuch in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CAN THE OILERS FIND A SUITABLE TRADE PARTNER FOR DARNELL NURSE?
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins weighed in on Sportsnet reporting that Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade.
It’s believed Nurse has submitted a list of three to five teams that he would find acceptable as trade destinations. Leavins noted the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings were rumored to be among them, but he doesn’t know how much truth there is to that speculation.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).
Leavins pointed out that Nurse isn’t as physical as he was earlier in his career. While the 31-year-old blueliner has had stretches of very good play, his postseason performances have been below expectations.
Nurse’s contract is a major obstacle in the path to a trade. He’s signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $9.25 million. He also has a full no-movement clause, giving him full control over where he can be sent.
Meanwhile, Jim Matheson looked at which clubs might be interested in Nurse, and what the Oilers could expect to receive in return.
Nurse’s parents live in Hamilton, Ontario, prompting Matheson to speculate that he might be open to teams in the geographical area, such as Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.
Matheson also noted that Nurse has some connections in California, which could make Los Angeles and San Jose potential landing spots.
As for return, Matheson mused about a swap of Nurse for Morgan Rielly with Toronto, or Rasmus Ristolainen or Nick Seeler or Owen Tippett with Philadelphia. He speculated that the Oilers might be reluctant to deal with the Penguins after swapping Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry.
The Sharks desperately need experienced blueline depth, but Matheson believes they’d want the Oilers to retain part of Nurse’s cap hit. They might be willing to move defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, but the Oilers might also want a forward, prompting Matheson to wonder if they’d also part with winger William Eklund.
Matheson speculated the Oilers might be open to taking goalie Darcy Kuemper for one year to play with Tristan Jarry. He doubted that the Kings would part with Alex Laferriere.
TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby thinks acquiring Darnell Nurse could work for the Maple Leafs. Like Matheson, Hornby suggested swapping Rielly for Nurse. However, he also mentioned pursuing Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers would love to move Nurse and his entire salary from their books and get back a decent NHL player in return. However, it might not be as easy as that.
Nurse’s $9.25 million AAV for the next three seasons is a significant sticking point. For all we know, the teams on his list of preferred destinations might not be interested in him, and if they are, they would probably prefer the Oilers retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit.
Nurse is the second player in a week to request a trade, following Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. It’ll be interesting to see which player gets moved first. Larkin obviously has more value than Nurse. However, the Oilers’ asking price for Nurse is likely more affordable than what the Red Wings seek for Larkin.
THE LATEST ON THE BLUES
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Guadio recently listed three players whose tenure with the St. Louis Blues could end this summer.
Center Oskar Sundqvist, right wing Jordan Kyrou, and goaltender Jordan Binnington are the trio who may have played their final games with the Blues.
Sundqvist’s second tenure with the Blues has been disappointing, which is why Guadio believes it’s time for him to move on. The Blues have been waiting for Kyrou to take his game to the next level, but he’s yet to do so. Binnington has lost the starter’s job to Joel Hofer, but his big-game reputation still has value in the trade market.
THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford recently answered some readers’ questions about Kyrou’s trade value and potential destinations.
Rutherford suggested the San Jose Sharks and New York Islanders as potential trade destinations for Kyrou, assuming he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause. He believes the Blues would like to get a player “with a proven track record or potential, or a high draft pick”.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols suggested Kyrou as a trade target for the Devils. He suggested offering up center Dawson Mercer or defenseman Simon Nemec, assuming he’d accept a trade to New Jersey.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou seems the more likely of the three to be traded this summer. They could opt to stick with Binnington to start the season and see how things go from there. The decline in Sundqvist’s performance hurts his trade value.
Kyrou’s been mentioned as a trade option for the Ottawa Senators, but Rutherford doesn’t see him waiving his clause to join them. He also doesn’t see him going to the Seattle Kraken.
ALEX TUCH REPORTEDLY HEADED TO THE FREE AGENT MARKET
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes it’s increasingly likely that Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch will test the UFA market on July 1.
LeBrun isn’t ruling out a possible deal between Tuch and the Sabres before then. However, he’s doubtful that Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen sees the 29-year-old winger in the “double-digit salary world.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, LeBrun doesn’t see the Sabres signing Tuch to a deal worth $10 million annually on a long-term deal.
Oiler fans: I have read on mainstream sites quotes from scouts, ex-coaches that Nurse has poor game sense, ie poor on ice reads. Thoughts, comments?
Agree, that why he never became the number one D they thought he would be. Now as he is getting slow, it turns him into a good 3rd pair defenceman costing 9,5m
He doesn’t have the greatest hockey IQ but he does have the ability to be tough, when the coach can get him playing a simple game, he can excel and he is far from slowing down.
He had the fastest speed burst this past season out of the previous 5 and his speed bursts have been basically consistent across the board the past 5 seasons.
I’m not a huge Nurse fan but I do genuinely believe there’s a chance putting him on LW and letting him bully other teams defence and chase down pucks would be a strong suit for him. Tell him to go to the net and put his stick on the ice and basically becomes a faster Patrick Maroon.
One thing you can say about Nurse is it’s never a lack of effort. No one ever complains about his work ethic.
Nurse, “not as physical as he once was”…nope, now he’s just a dirty player.
If Nurse is a dirty player, I’d hate to see you describe Benn.
All those trade proposals for Nurse look ridiculous. Mukhamadullin and Eklund for Nurse? Tippet for Nurse? This is a 4/5 LD at 9,5m who isnt as physical as he used to be and with 3 years left and in decline. Or maybe its just me
Kent
You’re bang on with your assessment.
I had the exact same thoughts.
Everyone knows it’s a salary dump for an underperforming player.
If Bowman truly just wants to get out from that contract just offer him to one of the teams on his list for a draft pick and a shorter term, bad salary coming back. Maybe get a third team involved to retain salary?
EDM has created an awful mess with a limited prospect pool to draw from.
I think those trades were with the idea of Oilers holding some significant $ back, otherwise I’m with you on those being ridiculous. But muse at 5 mill? Maybe?
Nurse has 4 years, not 3 years, remaining at his current annual salary of $9.25 million. The Oilers will have to include something else if they are to move that contract.
If the Sabres decide to let Tuch walk, and if the rumors are true he wants to play in the Pacific NW, then Seattle could just sign him as a UFA in 7/1.
If the rumors are true Shane Wright has fallen out of favor the have the Sabres re-sign Tuch to whatever terms he and Seattle agree on and trade him for Wright.
Buffalo could then use Wright as an additional trade piece to package together to acquire a #1 center
Rangers can draft Carels at #5 and their left side solved for years
I bet Oilers management was looking to move Nurse and was a case of “ you can’t fire me , I quit “. They will have to hold a percentage for sure and take a contracted player in return
SS. I don’t think Rangers would have any interest in Nurse. I also like Carels at 5. Maybe Bjorck.
Nurse for Huberdeau $3M retained. 🤔
Nurse has $9.25M left for 4 more seasons.
He’s only cracked 40 pts twice in his career… and he barely did that 5 years and 9 years ago.
He’s not close to the guy who signed that big contract.
Edmonton doesn’t own enough sweeteners (picks, prospects) to throw at a team to take on that cap hit, and I can’t see them retaining 50% of his contract to get a deal done.
I cant see any team thinking Nurse is worth more than a 6mil cap hit if that now.
Edmonton i would think has to eat 33% of the hit at minimum and maybe get an AHL dman back
I don’t see the Oilers retaining significant value of nurses contract. If so what is the point? Let’s be honest he came forward requesting the trade knowing that he has more control now in the destinations than waiting a season. I am not saying they win the trade…they likely wont. I am not saying they wont be forced to take a clunker of a contract back …likely will. I am just saying
dont see them moving nurse and retaining much in excess of 1.25 mil if any at all.
We all like to dump on Nurse but he is a legit 2nd pair dman. He is also someone that can play pp minutes…if he was on one of the 31 other clubs that have 2 pp units he’d probably have 10 to 15 pp points. Edm only has 1 pp unit though. Also other clubs may look and think in their structure Nurse may strive better than the wild west style edm generally allows to happen.
71 gp, 26 even strength points, -16, 23 min per game
82 gp, 24 even strength points, -12, 21 min per game.
One set is of stats is Nurse last season. The other was Dobson’s last before being traded and signing for 9.5 per season.
I am not using the comparison to do much more than point out that nurse and his salary may not nearly as overpaid today as the day it was signed. I am not saying Nurse is better.
I can see a world where Nurse thrives on a new club.
Time will tell
100% agree with ya 1Oilerfan. Like I said in the news section, I can’t help but see him becoming what Jones was to the Panthers and so much of the same crap was said about him is similarly being said about Nurse is a bit of déjà vu.
no chance the Devils would be interested in Nurse. Nurse’s AAV is higher than Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, and the team is going to try to trade DH this offseason to clear cap space. Nurse’s cap hit won’t help that at all
I think Nurse goes to the Rangers who are weak on the left side after Gavrikov. They really missed K’Andre Miller and Nurse would help with that.
The swaps for Morgan Reilly or Kuemper do make sense as problem-for-problem trades
Dobson is 5 years younger, better defensively & didn’t play with 2 of the best offensive players in the game. The cap was predicted to rise significant in the next few years that’s another reason why Dobson got the big contract.
and I don’t see Kyrou going to the Devils. Not sure how they can fit him under their cap, they were already trying to deal Hamilton to free up cap space.
Noesen will be impossible to trade coming off his injury, and who knows if they can trade Timo Meier coming off a bad season.