Darnell Nurse reveals his number one destination and insider reveals trade timeline
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Daniel Lucente
Jun 19, 2026 (2:32 PM)
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Photo credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Darnell Nurse has a list of teams he'd waive his no-movement clause for, and Pittsburgh sits at the top.
That detail changes the tone of this rumor entirely.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Penguins and Oilers have been actively discussing a trade, with the draft circled as a potential timeline.
"Pittsburgh may be No.1 on Darnell Nurse's list of five teams he would waive for, and the Penguins and Oilers have been discussing a potential trade. Edmonton GM Stan Bowman is not going to rush into a move, but some believe we'll see a trade around the NHL Draft."
- David Pagnotta
- David Pagnotta
Kyle Dubas and Nurse share an OHL bond from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and that connection gets most of the attention.
But the more important factor is one that barely gets mentioned: Pittsburgh is roughly $10.8 million below the NHL's salary cap floor.
The Penguins don't just want Nurse because of a relationship. They have a structural need to spend, and his $9.25 million cap hit solves that problem directly.
The Dubas connection opens the door, but the floor pressure is what makes this a real conversation.
What it means for Edmonton's ask
Stan Bowman now holds leverage he didn't have when this was background noise. Nurse wants Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh has financial motivation to absorb the full contract.
Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton believes it won't need to retain much, if any, of Nurse's salary.
That changes everything about what Bowman can demand in return.
The draft is the real deadline
With the NHL Draft arriving June 26, Bowman doesn't need to rush - but the window to extract maximum value is right now.
A team sitting below the floor, eager to bring in a player who already approves the trade, is exactly the leverage an Oilers GM should be using.
The question isn't whether this gets done. It's how much Edmonton extracts before it does.
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The reported return haul from Penguins for Darnell Nurse is turning heads in Edmonton
The reported return haul from Penguins for Darnell Nurse is turning heads in Edmonton