Trade Pitch Has Red Wings Acquiring Star $74 Million Defenseman in Blockbuster

The Detroit Red Wings are looking to take the next step and become a playoff team and one trade pitch has them adding a star defenseman.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquire Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers.

Red Wings acquire:

• Darnell Nurse

Oilers acquire:

• Olli Maatta
• 2026 first-round pick

The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Detroit would acquire Nurse for Maatta and a first-round pick in an intriguing deal.

Nurse is entering the third year of his eight-year $74 million deal, but his role with the Oilers has become diminished. Detroit has the cap room to take on the star defenseman who can help mentor Moritz Seider and can add some offense to the blue line.

The last season, Nurse recorded 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points in 81 games. He’s spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Oilers after being selected seventh overall in the 2013 NHL draft.

In return, Detroit would part ways with their first-round pick in 2026 and defenseman Maatta. Maatta is entering the second year of his two-year $6 million deal. He could replace Nurse on the blue line and gives Edmonton some more cap flexibility. Last season, Maatta recorded 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 72 games.

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Red Wings GM Wants Team to be Better Defensively

Detroit hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season as the Red Wings have been going under a rebuild.

Entering the 2024-25 NHL season, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is happy with the team he has built. But, the GM does want the team to be better defensively.

“We need to be a better defensive hockey club top to bottom,” Yzerman said. “Our special teams has to be good. Our special teams both improved last season and we scored more goals. We gave up too many to make the playoffs, but you have to be solid in those areas. You can get by with not having the best power play or penalty-killing unit, but you better be solid in other areas. The key, ultimately, to long-term success is being a good defensive hockey team.”

Ultimately, Yzerman says he expects the young core to take another step forward which should propel the team into the playoffs.

“I want to see progress in our team as a whole in all the areas we’ve talked about and individually from our younger players,” Yzerman said. “As long as we’re moving in the right direction, I think it’s positive.”

Detroit opens its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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Nurse Considered a Trade Candidate

Although Nurse has been a key player for the Oilers, his name was mentioned in trade rumors this summer.

In DailyFaceoff.com’s summer trade target board, Nurse appeared on the list at number 19. Insider Frank Seravalli says a trade involving Nurse will be difficult.

“This would be a difficult, complicated transaction to tackle – and there are so many unknowns now, including: who will be the next GM in Edmonton? What will his view of the situation be? At the very least, the Oilers should be looking for ways to be creative, maybe swap one problematic contract for another. Because Nurse could rebound into a solid Top 4 defender,” Seravalli wrote.

“But he’s already not on the first unit power play or penalty kill, he’s stuck on the second pair, and that doesn’t leave him much opportunity to play up to his $9.25 million cap hit. Other teams are already leery of his contract structure with regards to the $24 million in backloaded signing bonus that makes it almost impossible to buy out,” Seravalli added.

Nurse has skated in 640 NHL games recording 76 goals and 191 assists for 267 points.

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