The Toronto Maple Leafs failed to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016, ironically the same year that they selected future captain Auston Matthews with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft.
It was Matthews who also had his season ended in March because of a dirty knee on knee collision with Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas, who was banned for five games as a result.
Speaking of the Ducks, they eliminated the Edmonton Oilers from the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the first time since 2021 that the Oilers were unable to advance to at least the second round; it also dashed their hopes of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for what would have been a third straight year.
Both teams have already made major shifts in leadership, as the Maple Leafs dismissed both general manager Brad Treliving in March and, more recently, head coach Craig Berube shortly after the arrival of new GM John Chayka. Meanwhile, the Oilers have dismissed head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant Mark Stuart.
What are the chances that both teams could get together on a massive trade at some point this offseason?
Could The Toronto Maple Leafs And Edmonton Oilers Make A Massive Trade?
Recently, noted NHL Insider David Pagnotta suggested that there was a major trade proposal in place for the Oilers and Maple Leafs involving two key defenseman changing professional addresses.
“But the primary pieces at the time before the trade deadline, the week of, was Darnell Nurse in a deal that involved Morgan Rielly and Nicolas Roy,” Pagnotta said.
And now, adding fuel to that fire is , Oilers Insider Jim Matheson, who openly wondered if a deal for Rielly and Nurse would make sense for both players as well as their respective teams.
“Will the Oilers trade Darnell Nurse this summer, maybe at the June draft, if Nurse waives his full no-trade, which becomes a 10-team no-trade after 2026-27? If so, to help with their cap space, the deal that might make the most sense is Nurse, 31, to Toronto for fellow left defenceman Morgan Rielly, 32,” Matheson wrote. “Both contracts end after the 2029-30 season. Nurse’s AAV is $9.25 million, Rielly’s AAV is $7.5 million. Points of interest: Nurse is from Hamilton, Tie Domi had a backroom hand in the hiring of new Leafs’ GM John Chayka and Nurse and Tie’s son Max grew up together. Nurse and Rielly are playing for Canada at the worlds in Switzerland, as is Bouchard.”
Could The Trade Make Sense?
Both blueliners have spent the entirety of their NHL careers with the franchises that drafted them. Toronto Maple Leafs selected Morgan Rielly fifth overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, and he has since appeared in 951 games with the club, recording 98 goals and 451 assists.
As for Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers chose him seventh overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. Since then, he has suited up for 798 career games, tallying 88 goals and 236 assists.
Both veteran defensemen remain signed with their respective teams through the 2029-30 season.
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