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Top NHL analyst Jason Gregor criticizes proposed trade of Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse for Sharks’ $56,000,000 defenseman
Renowned Edmonton Oilers analyst Jason Gregor reacted passionately to a fan's proposal involving Darnell Nurse on the "Jason Gregor Show." The suggested swap between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers involved sending defenseman Darnell Nurse for another defenseman, Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
The potential deal involves two high-priced veteran defensemen who have been trending downward recently. However, this trade idea could potentially save the Edmonton Oilers over two million dollars in cap space.
Here’s what Gregor had to say to the fan's suggestion:
“Have you watched Marc-Edouard Vlasic play hockey the last few seasons?”
Gregor went on to support his rhetorical question with the following argument:
“I don’t care that you save $2 million. That is such a massive downgrade in skill and speed. It’s awful.”
Vlasic signed an eight-year, $56 million contract with the Sharks in 2017. However, the deal hasn’t aged well. Since signing the deal, Vlasic has not registered more than 17 points in a season and has had eye-popping plus-minus ratings. Last season, Vlasic was a minus-27 in 57 games while totaling 12 points.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers signed Darnell Nurse to an eight-year $74 million contract in August, 2021. However, Nurse’s numbers have been gradually dropping off since signing the extension in 2021. He put up 32 points and a plus-3 rating in 81 games last season.
The comparison led Gregor to conclude the following on the potential trade suggestion:
“It’s awful. No chance.” Gregor added, “There’s no benefit whatsoever for the Edmonton Oilers to make that deal at all.”
The Oilers hope that Nurse can bounce back after a relatively rough postseason. If he does, the Oilers would greatly benefit from having high-quality defensemen like Evan Bouchard and Nurse.
Nurse remains important to the Edmonton Oilers
Throughout the last postseason, questions emerged about Nurse’s effectiveness on the ice. In particular, his minus-9 rating in 25 playoff games led fans and analysts to doubt whether Nurse should continue to play a prominent role for the Oilers.
Nevertheless, The Athletic quoted Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch, stating:
“It can’t be understated what he means to this group.”
Indeed, Nurse has proven to be a leader on and off the ice for the Oilers. He’s proven his value through his actions, such as playing through a torn hip flexor in the 2022 postseason.
While Nurse may have gradually been upstaged in recent seasons, especially with the emergence of Evan Bouchard, Nurse’s teammates, like Connor Brown, recognize his value. The Athletic quoted Brown’s comments regarding Nurse’s leadership, underscoring “his work ethic” as the main source of inspiration for the club.
The Oilers hope that Nurse continues to cast a positive influence on his teammates as the organization looks to turn the corner and capture the championship that eluded them this past season.
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