Darnell Nurse was upset that the news got out last off-season that the Edmonton Oilers had asked him to waive his no-move clause, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

General manager Stan Bowman is set to meet with Nurse in the coming days, according to Spector, and he is “ready and willing to trade Nurse as soon as they are able.”

On the latest 32 Thoughts on Friday morning, Friedman discussed the Nurse situation after Mark Spector’s article the day before painted a bleak future for Nurse’s place on the Oilers blueline.

Even during this latest season, Nurse has been on the block. David Pagnotta reported the Oilers were working with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a deal at the Trade Deadline.

According to PuckPedia, Nurse has played four of eight years of his $9.25 million contract, but 2026-27 is the last season he has a full no-move clause in that deal.

But the Oilers’ position is becoming clear, with Bowman willing to lay out the options to Nurse. He can stay for another season, but it seems like at the first opportunity, Edmonton will move the high-priced defenceman.

And if he was upset about the reporting last season, how does this latest news land in Nurse’s ears?

“Articles like that are a shot across the bow, and basically Nurse is being told, you can work with us this year, or we’ll do it on our own next year. So we’ll see. You still have to be able to make a trade. You have to know what the market is. You have to understand what you gotta do out there. But…it’s work with us now or we’ll do it ourselves next year.”

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