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‘Do they look at doing something with Darnell Nurse?’: Marek says Oilers could be the team to watch at NHL trade deadline
Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse
Photo credit: Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Menzies
Mar 4, 2026, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 4, 2026, 12:10 EST
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Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek believes the Edmonton Oilers could be the team to watch at the trade deadline and openly wondered about Darnell Nurse’s status. 
The NHL’s trade deadline is Friday, and there’s been action across the league already. The Oilers have made one move, acquiring Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday for a 2028 second-round pick. The Blackhawks retained half of his salary, dropping the cap hit to $2.2 million. 
But is that just the beginning? 
Marek referenced a tweet from agent and general manager Brian Lawton, along with other chatter around the league, that the Oilers could be looking to make a big swing.
Lawton was asked on X whether he thought the Oilers would be busy. His tweet said, “I think Murphy is the calm before the storm for the Edmonton Oilers.”
Marek wonders whether they’re the team that does something big, especially as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in the prime of their career.
“I’m really getting warmer to the idea that the team we all might be talking about by the time the deadline rolls around on Friday are the Edmonton Oilers. Maybe it’s that blockbuster that no one sees coming,” said Marek. 
“This isn’t a report. This is just like conversation leading up to the deadline on a Tuesday. They make the move for Murphy yesterday. Do they look at doing something with Darnell Nurse now? Would that be a bomb enough for Friday? Oh, yeah, it would. Could that be the next shoe to drop here, because the closer this thing gets to Friday, a lot of people talking about Edmonton doing something significant here.” 
@dailyfaceoff
Jeff Marek is starting to warm up to the idea that Edmonton could be gearing up for a BIG move before the deadline. JeffMarek EdmontonOilers Oilers Nurse DarnellNurse TradeRumors Trade TradeDeadline Rundown DailyFaceoff DFO
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Whatever moves the Oilers make, they have to do salary cap gymnastics to make it happen. Andrew Mangiapane’s contract is a must to move at a $3.6 million cap hit.
Darnell Nurse is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $9.25 million average annual salary, with a full no-move clause. It is extremely unlikely he is traded because he would have to waive his no-move, nevermind the weight of his cap hit.
Nurse’s name was in the rumour mill last summer, finding himself on Daily Faceoff’s trade board, while reports suggesting the Oilers approached him to waive his no-movement clause, but he ultimately declined. In November, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculated about whether the noise of his struggles have “gotten to” Nurse.
It is silly season, though, and the Nation Network will be live throughout Friday with all the Trade Deadline coverage.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

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