Oilers' Top Offseason Target Revealed: They Might Wait to Pull the Trigger, per NHL Insider

The Edmonton Oilers entered the offseason with tough decisions to make after falling two wins shy of claiming a Stanley Cup.

The Oilers had quietly asked players with no-trade or no-move clauses in their contracts, such as veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse and Adam Henrique, as to whether they'd be willing to move.

Although it's unclear if the Oilers formally contacted Darnell Nurse to waive his clause, the club was purportedly trying to get a read on his intentions in case the ideal trade came along.

Nurse, with a $9.25 million cap hit, remains a stalwart of the Oilers' foundation and has been a workhorse on the Oilers' backline through the highs and lows. He did opt to stay, as did Henrique. So why were the Oilers even exploring this route?

NHL insider David Pagnotta is reporting the Oilers are in the process of shedding salary right now because they're intent on acquiring a quality stay-at-home defenceman, something the club feels it needs to shore up the blue line.

But due to cap issues and the weak summer market, that acquisition will have to be delayed until the regular season. Shedding dollars now allows them the luxury of making deals when they're ready.

For the moment, Edmonton's core remains in place, but the cap crunch continues.