The Edmonton Oilers trade that just makes sense is already in the works: Darnell Nurse on his way out

The realistic Darnell Nurse trade might not bring the Oilers a windfall, just a cheaper contract back. Jim Matheson named the fit.

Matheson's starting point is sobering. History says teams don't get large returns for 30-ish defensemen on big contracts.

His example was pointed. He cited the modest return the Rangers got from Anaheim for Jacob Trouba and his $8 million cap hit.

So the simplest Los Angeles scenario, per Matheson, is straightforward. Nurse for Kings left defenseman Joel Edmundson at $3.85 million for two more years.

The Kings make sense as a partner, too.

Nurse's reported list of preferred destinations included Los Angeles, so the interest could run both ways.

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The numbers make this swap look good for Edmonton

Start with the cap. Nurse carries a $9.25 million hit. Edmundson costs $3.85 million. That swap alone frees roughly $5.4 million for a team that needs every dollar around its stars.

It also shortens the commitment, swapping Nurse's longer term for a deal with two years left. Flexibility matters when you're managing a contender's books.

Now the part that should grab Edmonton's attention. The on-ice comparison this season is brutal for Nurse.

Nurse posted 24 points with a minus-12. Edmundson put up 23 points with a plus-14, playing all 82 games. Nearly identical offense, far better defensively, half the price.

So Edmonton wouldn't just clear cap in this swap. It might quietly upgrade its blue line based on last season's results. That's a sneaky win for Stan Bowman.

The catch sits on the other end. Why would Los Angeles take on Nurse's bigger money and term? D.J. Smith and Ken Holland would have to bet on his pedigree and top-pairing upside.

Here's my read: Matheson's sober take is probably right. There's no windfall coming for Nurse, and a contract swap is the realistic path. A Nurse-for-Edmundson deal would be a smart outcome for the Oilers.

The hold-up is finding a team willing to wager on the upside at that price. That's never simple with a $9.25 million defenseman.

Whether the Kings bite, and whether Bowman accepts a lateral-talent swap for cap relief, decides Nurse's summer. Edmonton's blue line reset rides on the answer.

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