This morning, Elliotte Friedman announced that there is legitimate interest across the league, with a condition appended, for Darnell Nurse’s formal trade request from the Edmonton Oilers.
He’s in demand from clubs. Not at its current price, however.
According to Friedman, who cited DMase Vingan and Daunic, prospective purchasers are prepared to leave Nurse if Edmonton can reduce his cap value to the $7 million level.
Between his current position and where the market believes he belongs, there is a $2.25 million difference.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Darnell Nurse trade request/Oilers: If you can get him down to the $7 million range, I believe there are teams that would make this transaction.
Nurse has a $9.25 million cap hit. Even before the trade request became known, that number was already difficult to defend for a defenseman who recorded 24 points and a minus-12 rating over 82 regular season games.
The playoffs exacerbated the problem. He was kept scoreless in all six games against Anaheim, ending the series with a +4 that flattered a 4-2 defeat for Edmonton.
Consider that for a moment. In a first-round exit, the squad was eliminated and the $9.25 million blue liner had no points. This is the situation.
The Nurse trade market is contingent on Edmonton eating cap money.
Even if the solution isn’t, the arithmetic is simple. In order to earn $7 million, GM Stan Bowman would have to keep salary, find a team prepared to take the remainder, or include Nurse in a three-way agreement.
None of those are clean. Edmonton had to pay a little more for each of them.
In January, the nurse will be 32 years old. Teams that sign him are banking on a seasoned defenseman whose offensive production has decreased and whose contract extends far beyond what would ordinarily be his best years.
Additionally, the regular season numbers aren’t a one-year fluctuation. Minus-12, seven goals, and 17 assists. He’s a player that has moved significantly from the two-way power he was a few years ago.
Moving him would open up space for Edmonton’s cap scenario. But the Oilers will not simply accept wages in exchange for nothing.
This will not resolve quickly because of the gap between Nurse’s open market value and what Edmonton needs in exchange.
The league is observing to see if Bowman breaks first in this really difficult situation.
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