San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect forward Zack Sharp.
“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,” said Grier. “He brings significant leadership qualities and experience from his time in Edmonton which will be a valuable to our group. We’re excited to have a player like him join our organization.”
Nurse, 31, registered 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 82 games last season for the Edmonton Oilers. He led the team in blocked shots and hits, was fourth in average time on ice (20:58), and among team defensemen ranked third in points. Among NHL defensemen, he was ninth in blocked shots, He registered his ninth consecutive season registering at least 100 or more hits and blocked shots in a single season, and has nine consecutive years of logging an average of 20 or minutes per game. Additionally, he registered his 50th multi-point game on Oct. 23 vs. the Montreal Canadiens with two assists, and collected his fifth multi-goal game with two goals on Nov. 19 at the Washington Capitals.
Since entering the league full time in the 2015-16 season, Nurse has collected 1,467 blocked shots, ranking seventh among active defensemen in the category, averaging nearly five blocked shots per-game (4.91). He’s collected at least 20 or more points in seven consecutive seasons against some of the stiffest competition in the league, while also maintaining a plus-81 rating. He set a career best in points in the 2022-23 season, recording 43 points and 31 assists (tied for career best).
Over the course of his NHL career, all with Edmonton, he has amassed 798 NHL games, along with 324 points (88 goals, 236 assists) with a plus-66 rating. In the postseason, he’s appeared in 100 games, scoring 29 points (two goals, 22 assists), and helped Edmonton reach the postseason for seven straight years, which includes two trips to the Stanley Cup Final. He was named an Alternate Captain for the Oilers ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Prior to his NHL career, he played for the Soo Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League, captaining the team for two seasons. He registered 134 points (36 goals, 98 assists) in 221 games for the team, and was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team (2012), OHL Second All-Star Team (2015), Third All-Star Team (2014), and the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year in 2013.
Internationally, Nurse has represented Team Canada on multiple occasions. He was a part of the 2026 Canadian Olympic squad, appearing in 10 games and recording six assists, en-route to a Silver Medal finish. He’s also appeared in the World Championships twice (2018, 2019), scoring five points (two goals, three assists) across 20 total games, and helping the team win a Silver Medal in 2019. He was also on the Gold Medal World Junior Championship team in 2015, being named as a Top-3 Player on his team after collecting one assist in seven games, and was a part of the U-18 World Junior Championship team in 2012, earning a Bronze medal.
Mukhamadullin appeared in 83 games with the Sharks between 2023-2026, posting 12 points (five goals, seven assists).
Sharp was selected by San Jose in the 2025 NHL Draft (4th round, 124th overall).
