“I want it all. I want you to be the best player you can be, and we’ll figure it out as we go.” An hour-long meeting over a coffee with the Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey, after Edmonton lost to the Florida Panthers in 2024, turned into a mantra that their veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse would follow. Of course, things would not go his way many times, and the fans would turn their back against him over and over again. But in a crucial Game 4 against the Cats this year, the 5-4 OT win came possibly because of the same resolve.

He struggled in the first period– a tripping penalty on an already short-handed Oilers; failed to clear the puck in the defensive zone; even missed picking up Anton Lundell in front, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead. And then there was the comeback. With a second-period marker, he pulled Edmonton within one again and later set up a game-tying goal in the frame. Shooting four shots in eight attempts with four blocks, he became the Oilers’ most effective player in the win. And all he could say was how “The two games before, I felt like I had more to give to the group. It was a good contribute here.” 

While the Panthers won their consecutive Stanley Cup over the Oilers, the more bitter sting was yet to come for the Edmonton faithful. An underwhelming performance kept Nurse on a hot stove. Given that he pulled in a handsome eight-year contract extension worth $74,000,000, which included a signing bonus of $24,000,000 from 2022, was insured with a non-movement clause, the Oilers fans weren’t exactly in a forgiving mood. His numbers didn’t help either– in the 76 games that the veteran defenseman has played in the 2024-25 season, he managed to score 5 goals and made 28 assists only. Not exactly a scoring line you’d expect on the impact he’s having on Edmonton’s bank account. But no one would’ve expected the latest buzz coming in from Alberta’s social media accounts amidst all the trade news.

One of the hockey enthusiasts dropped a major update on X, saying, “Darnell Nurse has taken ‘Oilers’ out of his Instagram bio this evening.” The source also added, “This comes just hours after Stauffer suggested the Oilers have something cooking, and fans will have something to talk about soon.” Currently, there is a haze around his move, but as time passes, we believe the dust will settle enough to give us a clear preview.

However, in a twist of fate, another tweet by Tyler Yaremchuk of Edmonton came to light. He tweeted, “Just going to toss this out there: Darnell Nurse’s Instagram bio is the exact same as it was in February of 2018. So, believe whatever rumours you want, but the player is not signalling a trade with whatever is in his bio.” So, amid swirling rumors, there are chances that Darnell Nurse would not go anywhere.

Meanwhile, Connor McDavid’s contract extension with the Oilers still awaits, and questions loom around whether he will stick around.

Connor McDavid’s second contract extension awaits approval

After his rookie deal ended, the Oilers retained Connor on an eight-year, $100,000,000 contract in 2018, which would end with the 2025-2026 season. Given he’s an impactful player and the captain for the Oilers, the talks would begin right about now in the offseason. In fact, they have! 

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported on Tuesday, “Sounds like Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson are in Ontario, and meetings have begun with McDavid’s agent Judd Moldaver. Broader discussions about the organization and direction are the starting point.” 

Now, as he is in the last year of his contract, the next few months will decide his future. In fact, there are enough chances, the Oilers would decide on the question of his 2nd contract extension in the coming months, but unfortunately, there is no fixed date right now. According to The Hockey Writers, the negotiation between Connor’s agent and the Oilers is expected to extend well beyond July 1. But there is a silver lining to all the cloudy atmosphere around McDavid. 

According to AFP Analytics, McDavid is projected to receive a four-year deal worth $65.4 million overall. This would make him one of the highest-paid players in NHL history. Let’s see if this bold projection can become a reality. But before that, let’s discuss the other side of the coin- trade rumors.

If you surf the Internet, you would definitely find a mention of the Toronto Maple Leafs connected to Connor’s name regarding a trade. But this is just a rumor as of now. No official announcement or hint has been given by any organization or any authorized person of either franchise. Contrary to this, McDavid would not be interested in moving out of Canada. And the main reason behind this would be his wife’s businesses. 

As we know, on June 6, Connor attended his wife’s new business venture, which is a furniture business. Other than the new business, she also runs her well-known Kyle & Co Design Studio in Canada. So, this can be a strong reason to shut down all the unimaginable trade rumors swirling around him. 

To concrete this, “Connor’s the best player in the League, the most important player in the League, he’s our captain, he’s our leader and certainly he’s a No. 1 priority,” Stan Bowman, the GM of the Oilers, said about the Oilers captain last week. So, according to the Edmonton Journal, “He’s got one year left on his deal but can sign a new contract with the Oilers as early as July 1.” But Connor is in no hurry. Talking to the Edmonton Journal, he said, “You know, talk to my agent a little bit and family and all that, and make some decisions whenever that time comes. But there’s no rush, no rush on anything like that.” So, let’s see how big a contract he gets from the Oilers. Let’s wait and watch.