The Detroit Red Wings aim to advance to the playoffs and are considering acquiring a top defenseman through trade.
PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool allows users to make their own transactions. One commenter suggested the Red Wings acquire Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers.
Red Wings acquire:
- Darnell Nurse
Oilers acquire:
- Olli Maatta
- 2026 first-round pick
The suggested trade would be a blockbuster, with Detroit exchanging Nurse for Maatta and a first-round choice in an intriguing deal.
Despite starting the third year of his eight-year $74 million contract, Nurse’s role with the Oilers has lessened. Detroit has the cap space to sign the top defenseman, who can mentor Moritz Seider and provide offence to the blue line.
Nurse scored 10 goals and 22 assists in 81 games last season, totalling 32 points. He has spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Oilers, having been taken seventh overall in the 2013 NHL draft.
In exchange, Detroit would give up its first-round pick in 2026 and defenseman Maatta. Maatta is in the second year of a two-year $6 million contract. He could replace Nurse on the blue line, giving Edmonton extra cap space. Last season, Maatta scored 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 72 games.
Red Wings GM Wants Team to be Better Defensively
Detroit has not made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, while the Red Wings are rebuilding.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is pleased with the roster he has assembled as the NHL season begins in 2024-25. However, the general manager wants the club to improve its defensive performance.
“We need to be a better defensive hockey club top to bottom,” he claimed. “Our special teams need to be good. Our special teams improved last season, and we scored more goals. We gave up too many to make the playoffs, but you must be strong in those areas. You can get away without having the strongest power play or penalty-killing team, but you need to be strong in other areas. The key to long-term success is to be a good defensive hockey team.”
Ultimately, Yzerman expects the young core to take another step ahead, propelling the team into the playoffs.
“I want to see progress in our team as a whole in all the areas we’ve talked about and individually from our younger players,” Yzerman replied. “As long as we’re moving in the right direction, I think it’s positive.”
Detroit starts the 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Nurse Considered a Trade Candidate
Despite being a crucial player for the Oilers, Nurse’s name was raised in trade rumours over the summer.
Nurse ranked 19th on DailyFaceoff.com’s list of summer trade targets. Insider Frank Seravalli believes a deal involving Nurse will be difficult.
“This would be a difficult, complicated trade to complete, and there are so many unknowns right now, such as who will be Edmonton’s next general manager. What will his assessment of the situation be? At the absolute least, the Oilers should be searching for innovative solutions, such as swapping one troublesome deal for another. According to Seravalli, Nurse has the potential to become a top-four defender.
“But he’s already not on the first unit power play or penalty kill; he’s trapped on the second pair, which doesn’t give him much opportunity to live up to his $9.25 million cap hit. Other teams are already wary of his deal structure, particularly the $24 million backloaded signing bonus, which makes it nearly impossible to buy out,” Seravalli noted.
Nurse has played in 640 NHL games, scoring 76 goals and 191 assists for 267 points.
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