The Boston Bruins could make a bold move to add a star defenseman to the roster.
Boston is looking to be aggressive this offseason to add more talent and compete for a Stanley Cup. With that, Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Bruins acquiring Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers.
Bruins acquire:
Oilers acquire:
The proposed deal would be intriguing as Boston would acquire Nurse to bolster the blue line, while getting off of Lohrei and Korpisalo’s contracts. Edmonton, meanwhile, replaces Nurse with Lohrei, and Korpisalo can be part of a goalie tandem or serve as the backup.
Nurse has requested a trade from the Oilers and is reportedly open to a deal to Boston. He’s entering the fifth year of his eight-year, $74 million deal, as he’s owed $9.25 million per season. Nurse can be a solid second-pairing defenseman and help shut down opposing teams, and also add a bit of offense. He recorded 7 goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 82 games last season.
In return, the Bruins would give up Lohrei, who’s entering the final year of his two-year, $6.4 million deal with Boston. He’s likely to be moved, but Lohrei can still be an effective third-pairing defenseman for Edmonton. Lohrei recorded 7 goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 73 games.
Boston would also trade Korpisalo, who’s on the market. Korpisalo is a solid tandem goalie who can be part of Edmonton’s goalie solution. Yet, the Bruins have Jeremy Swayman and could sign another goalie to be the backup. Korpisalo is in the fourth year of his five-year, $20 million deal. He went 14-9-6 with a 3.15 GAA and a .894 SV%.
Nurse Open to Being Traded to Bruins
Although Nurse is open to a trade, it’s been reported that there are only a couple of teams that he’s willing to waive to go to.
The Bruins are reportedly one of those teams, according to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
“There are a couple of options available right now with respect to Edmonton and moving Darnell Nurse,” Pagnotta revealed on the June 27 episode of the Hello Hockey podcast. “I reported yesterday that Boston is another team on his list that he would be willing to go to. But nothing, I believe, has transpired on that front. It sounds like it’s Philadelphia and Anaheim that are battling this one out to try and get Darnell Nurse.”
The Bruins do make sense for Nurse as he can help bolster the blue line, and Boston has the cap space to make the move.
Boston has just over $7 million in cap space, but trading Korpisalo and Lohrei’s salaries would make the money work.
Boston Looking to Add More Skill
The Bruins made the playoffs last season, and GM Don Sweeney is looking to bolster their roster.
Ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, Sweeney said he’s looking to add more skill to the team, as well as speed.
“We still have our own UFAs that we haven’t finalized anything. We have continued to discuss there,” Sweeney said. “I think complementing that group as it sits, and being cognizant of the goalscoring. We talked about adding speed, and any time we can add skill to our group, we are going to try to do that.”
The Bruins have cap space and trade assets to make some moves happen.
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This article was originally published on HEAVY
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