Should the Blackhawks, Davidson inquire about Darnell Nurse?

The Chicago Blackhawks do have a few holes to fill this offseason. One of them is a defenseman. While the back end is filled with promise and youngsters, the veteran side could be improved. Recently, the Edmonton Oilers revealed that defenseman Darnell Nurse has expressed interest in leaving the organization via trade. Would Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson have any interest in the defenseman to shore up the back end?

Why should Davidson purse him?

Nurse was selected in the 2013 NHL Draft with the seventh pick and has spent his entire career with Edmonton up to this point. He has 88 goals and 324 points, along with 725 penalty minutes in 798 games.

The Blackhawks could use another defenseman with experience who can teach the younger defensemen along the way. Nurse can play a 200-foot game and add a physical presence. He would likely pair in the top-two defensive pairings, along with time on the power play and special teams. With his trade request, Edmonton may want to get the best deal now and end this thing early. The return for Nurse may be substantial in terms of draft picks and prospects as part of any deal. The Blackhawks do have those to part with. Every defenseman on last season's roster is under 25, with the exception of Matt Grzelcyk, who is 32. Depending on what Edmonton wants in return, this could be a big addition for Chicago.

Where it could get tricky

While many mock trades may look foolish, there are some that actually make sense. However, the key to this entire trade is Nurse himself. He has a no-trade clause until July 1, 2027, and he holds all the cards. The Blackhawks could put together an amazing package, but if Nurse says no, the deal is off. He still has a say in how many teams will be on his list he does not want to go to.

His salary would be another sticking point. With four years left on his deal at a cap hit of $9.25 annually, Davidson may want to look longer at this issue rather than what he will give up. The front end of that contract will be loaded, but he will still have $29.6 million owed to him. However, that number will slightly fall to $23.6 million when he gets his bonus this summer.

According to Scott Wheeler's 2026 NHL prospect pool rankings, the Blackhawks have the top prospect pool in the league. This is a bonus for Davidson, as many of these young players could be moved as part of a Nurse deal. Some of the prospects who could be Edmonton-bound include Nick Lardis, Vaclav Nestrasil, Oliver Moore, Kevin Korchinski, Sacha Bpoisvert, and Marek Vanacker.

On the plus side, the Blackhawks have plenty of projected cap space to add a player like Nurse. They also have the draft capital. They have their first-round picks left in the 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 drafts. Edmonton, however, has no first-round picks in the next three drafts, but does have one in 2028. While Chicago does have the assets to make a move of this significance, they do not want to overpay. They are building something good here, and most of that has come through the draft. Yes, the Blackhawks will have to move significant pieces in a deal like this, but they have to be careful not to destroy what they have built on the ice.

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