Max Miller
With the dust settling around the San Jose Sharks free agent moves, we can start to look at why these players chose to come here.
With Darnell Nurse, the answer is obvious. The Edmonton Oilers defenseman not only wanted a fresh start, but he needed one. While speaking with the media, the 31-year-old openly admitted to needing a fresh start.
“Sometimes it is just time to go. You feel that personally, and you have to stick to your gut,” Nurse said. “It was just time for a change. I had some deep roots, had some great moments, a lot of great memories, some friends, some good experiences with the organization, but everything has a shelf life and expiry date on it. This was my expiry date for my time in Edmonton.”
The Sharks added Nurse to their roster after he approved a trade to them. His contract holds a no-move clause, and reports suggested that he wasn’t initially open to joining Team Teal.
“I was going through a process, and there were a few options that, at the beginning of my process, just made the most sense in my mind,” Nurse explained. “I went through a deep dive of what I thought was best. Also, I talked to a lot of people that are respected in hockey, outside of hockey. It’s crazy because every time I brought up San Jose, even when they weren’t on my small list, everyone’s like, “You’d be crazy not to go there.” It’s an amazing opportunity for you. I’m really happy that it shook out this way.”
The San Jose Sharks took on the full brunt of Nurse’s contract. His cap hit of $9.25 million is the highest on the team until Macklin Celebrini’s eventual extension. With a cap hit like that, expectations follow, and Nurse knows that. The d-man took a lot of heat for his recent play for the Oilers, but comes to a Sharks team that is highly motivated.
“I think one of my best attributes is transporting the puck and skating, using my legs. Defensively, same thing, using my legs and closing time and space. I’ve got a pretty big engine too when it comes to being able to play minutes,” Nurse said. “There’s a lot of excitement. I feel like I can add to the group, as well as the leadership part. My goal is the same goal as all those guys in the room, because I haven’t, [and] a lot of those guys haven’t reached the pinnacle. We’re all fighting for that.”
He’s been far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so providing knowledge to players who haven’t even made the first round will come in handy. Nurse was an alternate captain for the Oilers, and although he likely won’t have a letter next season, he will be a big voice.
Nurse has experience with Celebrini as his captain
The San Jose Sharks defenseman played for Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Hockey Championship. His new NHL teammates, Sam Dickinson and Celebrini, were also on that roster. Celebrini wore the ‘C,’ and Nurse spoke highly of him as a leader in the room.
“He was a great leader. Especially what he brought to the rink every day with his work ethic and leading by example,” Nurse said. “Some of the best leaders, that’s their greatest asset, is leading by example, and the words kind of come out after that.”
Reports say that Celebrini is “all but guaranteed” to become the Sharks captain in 26-27. Gaining experience around a group that had Nurse, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, and Ryan O’Reilly was perfect for the 19-year-old.
“For him too, we had Sid, JT, Ryan O’Reilly – there’s some great, great leaders around him,” Nurse said. “He was the catalyst for the team. That wasn’t just off the ice; that was on the ice as well, with his play. [He] holds a presence older than his age.”
For a guy who just spent the last ten years of his career playing with Connor McDavid, he’ll know a thing or two about good leadership.
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