"He's (worth) 1.5-2 tops": Mike Commodore savagely roasts Darnell Nurse for failing to uphold $9,250,000 AAV

Former NHLer Mike Commodore savagely roasted defenseman Darnell Nurse for failing to live up to his contract value.

Nurse is signed to an eight-year, $74 million contract with a cap hit of $9.25 million. His cap hit has been a point of contention due to his inconsistent playoff performance despite a strong regular season.

Many view Darnell Nurse’s contract as a significant obstacle to roster flexibility, as it is considered an overpayment given his production. The Oilers are reportedly open to trading Nurse this summer, but the defenseman is not interested in leaving the club.

Mike Commodore reacted to the news and posted on X:

“$4M is too high, in my opinion. He’s worth $1.5-2M at most. That said, he was better after Game 3 against Vegas… if he stays on his feet, he’s worth $1.5M… if he reverts to flopping, he’s EIHL at best.”

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Darnell Nurse expresses no interest in waiving his NMC

The Edmonton Oilers approached Darnell Nurse to discuss waiving his no-movement clause, but the 30-year-old defenseman expressed no interest in leaving Edmonton.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers conducted a review of all players with no-trade clauses to gauge their willingness to be traded. Viktor Arvidsson indicated he was open to a move and was subsequently traded.

However, Nurse and Adam Henrique were not convinced to leave, valuing their roles on a competitive team with a chance to win, and chose to stay, exercising their contractual rights.

"I think basically Edmonton went to a check with all their guys who had no trade clauses, who they would want to move and say, ‘Okay, how many of you are willing to go places?’ And (Viktor) Arvidson said he was, so he went," Friedman said via Edmonton Journal.

He added:

"But, you know, Nurse, I don’t think he wants to go anywhere. Henrique, I’m not convinced he wants to go anywhere. So that’s kind of where it ended up. They made it clear they liked being part of something where they can win, and they decided to stay, as is their right."

Darnell Nurse has been with the Oilers for the last 11 seasons. He amassed 33 points through five goals and 28 assists in 78 regular-season games last term.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta