Rishaug: Nothing to Nurse trade rumours, Oilers' Brown likely to test market
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TSN's Ryan Rishaug there's nothing to recent speculation regarding Darnell Nurse's future with the Edmonton Oilers.
"Lots of chatter in various circles about Darnell Nurse last night and this morning," Rishaug wrote Friday on X. "My understanding is there's nothing to it at this point. Lots can change quickly but as of now it's not a thing."
Nurse remains set to enter his 12th season with the Oilers and is under contract through 2029-30 at $9.25 million cap hit.
The 30-year-old defenceman posted five goals and 33 points in 76 games during the regular season and added three goals and eight points in 22 playoff games.
Selected seventh overall by the Oilers in the 2013 draft, Nurse has 81 goals and 300 points in 716 career games.
Oilers shedding salary
The Oilers began the process of shedding salary this week by trading Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round pick.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Oilers are also looking to move Victor Arvidsson to clear another $4 million in cap space.
The Oilers will need significant room to sign defenceman Evan Bouchard to a new deal as a restricted free agent this summer and are focused on signing Connor McDavid to an extension this summer.
Rishaug reports the Oilers will pursue a top-six winger to play with McDavid or Leon Draisaitl if the team can clear enough space.
Regarding a change at goaltender, Rishaug relays that the team remains open to a move, but won't force one after reaching back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals with Stuart Skinner.
Brown to test market
Rishaug reports that it appears forward Connor Brown will be testing the free-agent market after spending the past two years in Edmonton.
Forwards Corey Perry, Kasperi Kapanen and Jeff Skinner are all also slated for unrestricted free agency, while defenceman John Klingberg is also set to hit the open market after signing with Edmonton in January.
Brown, 31, recorded 13 goals and 30 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season. He added five goals and nine points in 20 playoff games before his team was eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final.
The 6-foot winger is coming off a one-year, $1 million contract.
Drafted 156th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2012, Brown has 107 goals and 258 points in 601 career games split between the Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, and Oilers.
Oilers Re-Sign Frederic
One pending UFA who is staying put in Edmonton is Trent Frederic, who signed an eight-year deal carrying an average annual value of $3.85 million on Friday.
Acquired from the Boston Bruins in a three-team trade also involving the New Jersey Devils just prior to the trade deadline, Frederic was set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1 but both he and general manager Stan Bowman expressed interest in getting an extension done.
"I don’t have anything to announce on Trent but you know we’re hopeful we can get something to the finish line there and to keep him in Edmonton," Bowman said last Friday.
"Getting to know him as a person has been a great experience because he’s got a lot of attributes that I think are very important to a successful team. You know, he’s incredibly competitive, great teammate, great team guy. He brings an element that I think you need which is very competitive."
The No. 29 overall pick in the 2016 draft by Boston, Frederic spent his first seven seasons with the Bruins before this year's deal. He returned from an ankle sprain and played one game with Edmonton before the playoffs, and tallied one goal and three assists in 22 postseason games as the Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.
He had eight goals and seven assists during 58 regular season games combined between the two teams.