Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse is one of the NHL’s top trade candidates to watch as the offseason carries on. The veteran defenseman has requested a trade from Edmonton, and the Oilers are actively looking to move on from him.
One team that has emerged in the Nurse sweepstakes is the Anaheim Ducks. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported on Friday night that the Anaheim Ducks have a lot of interest in the Oilers blueliner.
“Edmonton continues to explore Nurse trade options. Multiple sources say Anaheim has expressed serious interest in Nurse,” Pagnotta posted on X.
Then, on Saturday morning, Pagnotta provided a big update on the Ducks-Nurse connection. The NHL insider reported that while the Ducks are not on Nurse’s current trade list, they are now being considered by the Oilers defenseman.
“As we gear up for Day 2, some talk over Darnell Nurse. Anaheim, which isn’t on his list, is now being considered,” Pagnotta said.
If Nurse officially puts the Ducks on his trade list, they would become a realistic landing spot for him. Keep in mind, the 2013 first-round pick has a full no-movement clause, so he needs to give the green light for any potential trade to happen.
Why the Ducks Being Interested in Nurse Makes Sense
The Ducks being interested in Nurse is entirely understandable. They need to add to their blueline this offseason, as they have three notable pending unrestricted free agent defensemen in John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas. It has also been confirmed that Carlson is going to test the free agent market.
The Ducks also traded defenseman Owen Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. With this, they could use another left-shot defenseman, so it would make sense if they brought in a blueliner like Nurse to boost their group.
If the Ducks acquired Nurse, he could slot nicely on their second pairing. He would also give them another clear option for their penalty kill because of his shutdown ability. With this, he would have the potential to be a strong pickup for a Ducks club that is on the rise.
The Ducks Are Not the Only Team Interested in Nurse
With Nurse being one of the top defensemen who can be traded this summer, the Ducks are not the only team interested in him. In a recent article for Heavy, Caleb Kerney reported that the Flyers are a serious threat to land Nurse.
“Heavy Sports has learned that the Flyers are leading the Nurse sweepstakes,” Kerney wrote.
Kerney is not the only one reporting the Flyers are interested in Nurse, as Pagnotta reported on Saturday that the Flyers “remain an option” for the Oilers defenseman.
With this, it is clear that the Flyers are certainly to keep an eye on when it comes to Nurse. They appear to be the Ducks’ top competition right now, but it would not be surprising if more teams make serious bids for Nurse the longer that he stays available.
It will be interesting to see if the Ducks can swing a deal for Nurse from here, but the fit looks very strong on paper.
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