Nurse had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 82 regular-season games for the Oilers last season and no points in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The 31-year-old defenseman has four seasons remaining on an eight-year, $74 million contract ($9.25 million average annual value) he signed with Edmonton on Aug. 6, 2021.
“No one's going to expect more of myself and the way I play than myself,” Nurse said. “If I'm being quite honest, Joe from down the street can be mad because he can't drink his beer and watch the second round of the playoffs, but I live with each and every game, each and every moment, throughout the summer and try to learn from it, grow from it.”
Among Oilers defensemen, Nurse ranks fifth in points with 324 (88 goals, 236 assists) and is second in games (798). He is their all-time leader in blocked shots (1,467) and hits (1,692).
The No. 7 pick by Edmonton at the 2013 NHL Draft, Nurse has spent each of his 12 seasons with the Oilers. He has 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 100 playoff games, which included back-to-back trips to the Cup Final in 2024 and 2025. Edmonton lost to the Florida Panthers each time.
“Darnell is a strong, veteran, mobile defenseman who eats up top-pair minutes against some of the best talents in the NHL, and brings a physical element every shift,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. “He brings significant leadership qualities and experience from his time in Edmonton, which will be a valuable to our group.
To replace Nurse, the Oilers signed defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year, $20 million contract ($4 milliion AAV) on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old had 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) in 80 regular-season games for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. He had one assist in six playoff games.
A fourth-round pick (No. 121) by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2015 NHL Draft, Shea has 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists) in 150 games, all with the Penguins.
Mukhamadullin had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 50 games this season, the 24-year-old defenseman’s third with the Sharks.
A first-round pick (No. 20) by the New Jersey Devils at the 2020 NHL Draft, Mukhamadullin has 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 83 games, all with San Jose.
Sharp, a 21-year-old defenseman, has yet to sign since being a fourth-round pick (No. 124) by the Sharks at the 2025 NHL Draft. He had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 37 games for Western Michigan University last season.
NHL.com independent correspondent Max Miller contributed to this report
