Rumours have been swirling around lately that the Edmonton Oilers will be parting ways with defenceman Darnell Nurse. The 31-year-old defenceman has spent his entire 12-year career with the Oilers, consistently playing in the top-four. The Oilers drafted him seventh overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. In a way, Nurse was supposed to be a key part of the future in Edmonton. Unfortunately, things did not work out that well. Nurse holds one of the worst contracts in the NHL and has been the main person to blame for team failures.
Has the time come for the Oilers and Nurse to finally part ways? Maybe a fresh start is exactly what he needs. Let’s take a look at who the Oilers could replace him with.
Free agents options
Mario Ferraro
The first potential option would be Mario Ferraro. He is a solid defensive defenceman who could be a replacement for Nurse and maybe even Mattias Ekholm once he retires. Ferraro has spent his entire seven-year career with the San Jose Sharks. He broke out with them and stuck with the team during a dark time. Now, with a small taste of being on a good team last season, there is no doubt that Ferraro would love to play on a winning team. Ferraro would be capable of sliding in on the second line and playing some penalty kill minutes. This is where Ferraro earns his money as he roughly gets over 120 hits and blocks in a season.
A contract for Ferraro could be a bit of an issue. He reportedly wants a longer-term deal, which is not something that the Oilers should hand a defenceman like him. A three or four-year deal would be fair in my eyes.
Jamie Oleksiak
Another option would be Jamie Oleksiak. He is mainly known for his size as he stands at 6’7″ and weighs in at 251 lbs. Oleksiak is more of a veteran player, as he has been around since the 2012-13 season. He began his career in Dallas and has since bounced around from Pittsburgh, back to Dallas, and then, most recently, Seattle. The 33-year-old veteran is a similar type of player to Ferraro. Mainly known for his defensive style of play, while helping out on the penalty kill.
I would not mind if the Oilers brought him in. It is likely a better shot to get him on a shorter-term deal, and he is more of an exact replacement for Nurse.
Connor Murphy
Now, I do think that the Oilers should bring back Connor Murphy. Saying that he would be a specific replacement for Nurse may not be accurate, but regardless, I think he should come back. He already has experience playing on the second defensive unit and helps on the penalty kill. In his small sample of games as an Oiler, he fit in the system well. Murphy has spent most of his career rebuilding teams, so I think he deserves another chance at contending with the Oilers. He even brought some secondary offence in the playoffs, scoring two goals and three points through the six-game first-round series.
I think, like Oleksiak, the Oilers could afford to bring Murphy back on a three-year, average salary deal. I think $4M to $5M per year would be a fair price to target.
Already in the Oilers’ system
Atro Leppanen
A defenceman who had a very solid season in the AHL last year is 27-year-old Atro Leppanen. Through 53 games with Bakersfield, he scored 11 goals and 27 points. This was good to be the seventh-best scorer on the team, behind AHL stars like Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson. Leppanen was an undrafted defenceman who previously played in Finland in the SM-liiga (Finnish Elite Hockey League). Being undrafted and from Finland, that is where Leppanen played until he made the jump last season. Considering the situation he was in, his season with Bakersfield was phenomenal. He is a potential cheaper option to replace Nurse as he has one year left on his contract, making under $1M.
Beau Akey
If the Oilers wanted to give the role to a younger player, it would be Beau Akey. The young prospect had his first full AHL season last year. He appeared in 42 games, only posting two goals and ten points. I do not think that Akey should be a top option to replace Nurse, but he is one of the younger options who has more future potential. Akey is a very mobile two-way defenceman. As he continues to get stronger and develops his game in the AHL, he could be a decent piece down the line.
Should the Oilers keep Nurse?
Honestly, I think it is time to move on. After the awful season the Oilers are coming off, it is time for some serious changes. Trading Nurse would be the greatest move the Oilers have made in a while. The return would not be all that important as long as they can get rid of that contract. It would give a breath of fresh air to the team and for Nurse. The problem with Nurse is that he has a no movement clause. With this in place, Nurse would have to agree to be moved in order for it to happen.
If the Oilers keep Nurse, I think he will continue to be a liability. Many fans are fed up with his play, his teammates are probably ready to move on, and who knows how he will play if Mike Babcock is hired. That could be another new problem for the Oilers in this upcoming season.
Do you think it is finally time to move on from Nurse?
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