The respective seasons for both the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs were disappointments to varying degrees. For the Oilers, while they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinal for the first time since 2021, and had their dreams of a third straight deep playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final dashed by the upstart Anaheim Ducks.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade. Speaking of the Ducks, defenseman Radko Gudas ended the season of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews with a dirty knee-on-knee hit in March, adding insult to injury.
Both clubs have chosen to make major leadership changes behind their respective benches in recent weeks. The Maple Leafs, who are now guided by general manager John Chayka following the late-March firing of Brad Treliving, parted ways with coach Craig Berube. And on Friday, the Oilers parted ways with head coach Kris Knoblauch as well as assistant coach Mark Stuart.
But could there be more changes on the ice in the form of a blockbuster trade with one another? Don’t be surprised to see it happen.
An Edmonton Oilers Insider Weighs In On The Chances Of A Blockbuster Trade
It was NHL Insider David Pagnotta who indicated that there was a major trade proposal in place for the Oilers and Maple Leafs involving two key defenseman swapping places.
“But the primary pieces at the time before the trade deadline, the week of, was Darnell Nurse in a deal that involved Morgan Rielly and Nicolas Roy,” Pagnotta said.
And now, Oilers Insider Jim Matheson is helping to pour fuel on that rumor by wondering if a change in scenery for both Nurse and Rielly would make sense for both of their respective clubs.
“Will the Oilers trade Darnell Nurse this summer, maybe at the June draft, if Nurse waives his full no-trade, which becomes a 10-team no-trade after 2026-27? If so, to help with their cap space, the deal that might make the most sense is Nurse, 31, to Toronto for fellow left defenceman Morgan Rielly, 32,” Matheson wrote. “Both contracts end after the 2029-30 season. Nurse’s AAV is $9.25 million, Rielly’s AAV is $7.5 million. Points of interest: Nurse is from Hamilton, Tie Domi had a backroom hand in the hiring of new Leafs’ GM John Chayka and Nurse and Tie’s son Max grew up together. Nurse and Rielly are playing for Canada at the worlds in Switzerland, as is Bouchard.”
Could The Oilers And Maple Leafs Pull A Massive Trade?
Both defensemen have played with their respective clubs for their entire NHL careers.
Rielly was selected by the Maple Leafs in the opening round (fifth overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, and has played 951 games for Toronto, scoring 98 goals with 451 assists.
Meanwhile, Nurse, selected in the opening round (seventh overall) of the following year’s NHL Draft, has played 798 career games with the Oilers, scoring 88 goals with 236 assists.
Both players are under contract with their current clubs until 2030.
Oilers Insider Drops Intriguing Update On Potential Blockbuster With Maple Leafs