Philly fans gut Darnell Nurse trade idea as Flyers reportedly have “internal discussion” about oft-criticized Oilers D-man

Philadelphia Flyers fans on social media expressed disappointment at the reported interest in oft-criticized Oilers blueliner Darnell Nurse.

According to reports from Broad Street Hockey and Anthony SanFilippo, the Flyers have had internal discussions about acquiring the 32-year-old defenseman. Nurse carries a hefty $9.25M AAV on his eight-year, $74 million contract through 2030, but sources indicate he’d reportedly waive it for Philly.

The Edmonton Oilers, meanwhile, seem ready to move on for cap flexibility after mixed underlying numbers and playoff scrutiny.

Here’s how Philly fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted. One tweeted:

“This would be a disaster.”

Another chimed in:

“No. No. And hell no. That defense absolutely blows and he’s a top guy there.”

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

“Hell no but that’s a type of move Briere would do. Jury is still out on him. Made some good moves. Made some very bad moves. Drafts aren’t impressive other than the givens,” a third fan wrote.

“As a regular at Oilers games, all I can say is this should a hard no. He makes decisions defensively that 13 year olds wouldn’t make,” one X user opined.

“I don’t mind it as long as we get a good deal for taking him. We have plenty of cap space rn and the cap is going up rapidly every year so either he will end up living up to his contract or we end up paying him for a couple years while we’re barely in contention,” another chimed in.

“Not for 9 million! Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes. Coots only needed demoted to the fourth line to unlock beast mode! Shows what a mental shift can do for your game. Ghost sucked balls now everyone wants him back,” added another.

NHL insider floats Oilers’ trade ultimatum to Darnell Nurse

During a recent segment on the “32 Thoughts” podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the Oilers’ position on the veteran defenseman, indicating that the organization is putting serious pressure on Darnell Nurse this offseason.

“The thing about Darnell Nurse is he’s a year away from his no-trade clause going from a full to a partial, and it’s clear [the Oilers are] going to say to him, ‘This is the last year you have control. Do you wanna work with us or not?’” Friedman said.

Darnell Nurse has been with the Oilers for the last 12 seasons after being drafted No. 7 overall in the 2013 draft. He racked up 24 points with seven goals and 17 assists, with a plus/minus rating of -12 last season.

Edited by Abhishek Dilta