Pagnotta: Oilers discussed \u2018possibility\u2019 of moving Darnell Nurse at trade deadline<\/p>\n
The Edmonton Oilers<\/a> made two trades the week of the trade deadline, but there was another big piece to their core that general manager Stan Bowman<\/a> allegedly discussed moving.\u00a0That player is Darnell Nurse<\/a>, according to The Fourth Period\u2019s David Pagnotta.\u00a0He published a column<\/a> Sunday night discussing what trades did and didn\u2019t happen across the league.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Oilers made his list.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t shoot the messenger, but the Edmonton Oilers discussed the possibility of moving Darnell Nurse,\u201d wrote Pagnotta. \u201cI can\u2019t pinpoint how deep trade talks actually went, but that\u2019s a name to watch this summer, NMC [no-move clause] and all.\u201d<\/p>\n Nurse is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $9.25 million average annual salary, with a full no-move clause.<\/p>\n On the season, Nurse has scored seven goals and 20 points, and is on pace for his lowest point total since 2017-18. Nurse is also averaging his lowest ice-time per game since his third NHL season back in 2016-17 at 20:52.<\/p>\n His name became more popular in pre-Deadline trade speculation as the Trade Deadline drew closer. Daily Faceoff\u2019s Jeff Marek openly wondered<\/a> if Nurse could be asked to waive, after former GM and agent Brian Lawton tweeted that the Connor Murphy acquisition was the \u201ccalm before the storm\u201d for Edmonton.With growing noise around him, some self-inflicted after short answers with the media following the loss to San Jose on February 28, Nurse commented<\/a> on his struggles last week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s 61 games in, and I\u2019m minus-12 and have 20 points. I\u2019m not happy about that at all,\u201d Nurse told reporters before the Senators\u2019 game last Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re going to reach the goal we want to reach, I have to step up for sure, and there\u2019s a lot of hockey to be played. I think that\u2019s the excitement and the opportunity and the accountability. I owe that to the guys in the room. That\u2019s it. No one else.\u201d<\/p>\n If the season ended today, his minus-13 would tie his career low of plus-minus, set back in 2015-16.<\/p>\n