During a recent appearance on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio’s TFP Hotstove, Tom Gazzola discussed the perceived end of the partnership between defenseman Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers. When asked about the timing of Nurse’s potential departure, Ryan Paton questioned why it had taken so long, suggesting the relationship had been deteriorating for some time.
Gazzola agreed, contrasting the current situation with Nurse’s early years in the league. He described a happier, more approachable player before significant contract extensions. Gazzola believes that after signing his substantial contract, and with early team struggles and increased public scrutiny, the pressure began to affect Nurse. This pressure, amplified by the high expectations in a major market like Edmonton, reportedly weighed on him, visibly altering his demeanor. Gazzola suggested that the breaking point might have been reached a year prior, but Nurse, along with core players like McDavid and Draisaitl, initially prioritized winning together. However, after the most recent season, a realization may have set in that this goal might not be achievable, leading Nurse to accept the idea of moving on.
While acknowledging the harsh criticism some players face from fans, Gazzola expressed sympathy for Nurse, emphasizing that he is a capable defenseman. He noted that while Nurse might not be worth his $9.25 million average annual value, he is a serviceable player when engaged, possessing skill and skating ability. Gazzola added that Nurse is still in his prime and suggested that the Oilers’ new management, Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson, will aim to find a suitable trade partner for a decent return, while also looking to preserve salary cap flexibility, which has been depleted by recent moves.
Following Nurse’s request for a trade this offseason, it remains to be seen where he will end up. Reports suggest he prefers to move to the Eastern Conference and is not interested in joining the Toronto Maple Leafs. There have been discussions between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Oilers regarding Nurse. While a trade between these two teams is a possibility, Nurse could also find a new team and system where he thrives, similar to K’Andre Miller’s experience. Ultimately, it appears the time was indeed right for both Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers to seek new directions.
English Translation:
Tom Gazzola joined TFP Hotstove on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Dennis Bernstein, Dave Pagnotta, and Ryan Paton on Saturday. There he was asked about the marriage between defenseman Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers coming to an end.
Ryan Paton: Darnell Nurse, Tom Gazzola, $9.25 million AAV UFA in 2030 contract ends 2030. He wants out. Why did it take this long? That’s my question. Because I think that this marriage has been dissolving for quite a while now.
Tom Gazzola: “Yeah, that’s that’s a fair statement. Good assessment, Ryan. I mean, the Darnell Nurse that I remember in his first few years in the league, before he got bridged once or twice, and then finally got this big contract. Happy-go-lucky, easy to talk to. He’ll shoot the breeze with you.
And then I think when that deal was signed, and things didn’t go right in the first couple of years, and the spotlight was on him, the target was on him, the fans got on him because that’s big bucks, especially in a market like this. People pay attention to everything. I think that started to weigh on him, and you could see his demeanor changing in and around the locker room and at the rink, and I feel like it’s probably gotten to the breaking point.
Maybe it did a year prior, but you know he’s used tight with (Connor) McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl and (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins. Those guys wanted to win, and they wanted to win together. And I think after this past year, maybe there’s a realization that it might not happen, and enough is enough. And he said, ” You know what, I’ll be okay with moving on.”
So it’s not great. I don’t like seeing some of the vitriol spit at him, and fans can be harsh on marquee players, and there’s a good defenseman there, and is he’s a $9.25 million defenseman, AAV, probably not, but he’s serviceable when he’s dialled in, he’s effective, he got skill, skates well.
He’s still kind of in the prime of his career, and we’ll see if Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson can find the right home for him and get a decent return and try to maintain some cap space, because, as has been outlined many times over the last few weeks, they had potential to have a lot of cap space going into this off season and decided to make some moves that burnt it up unnecessarily.”
Now that Darnell Nurse went to the team this off-season asking for a trade it will be interesting to see where he gets traded to. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet believes he wants to go East and doesn’t want to go to Toronto. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers are talking about Nurse. Could another trade between those two teams in the work. But there is a chance that Darnell Nurse could find a new home and be like K’Andre Miller and fit into a new system perfectly. But the time was right for the two parties to go their separate ways.
