It was widely known when the offseason began for the Boston Bruins following a first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres in six games, that more talent was needed on their roster.
One of the three needs that the Black and Gold have is a right-shot defenseman, a top-four one. That wasn't going to be addressed through free agency, but it would have to be addressed through a trade. There were some options, including the biggest name, Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers. That would be a perfect top-pairing partner for Charlie McAvoy.
However, as things began to play out, Nurse's three teams were reportedly the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Bruins. As it turns out, none of the three is his final destination.
Bruins lose out on defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks
The Bruins brought back right-shot Connor Clifton in free agency on Wednesday, reuniting him with a team that left in free agency following the 2022-23 season. He signed a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.25 million. He's thrilled to be back in Boston.
However, that doesn't solve the need for a top-four right-shot. Nurse was the perfect fit, and that's not happening after Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Nurse expanded his trade list, which included the San Jose Sharks. In the end, Nurse is going to the Sharks, leaving the Bruins to search to fill their biggest need still.
Darnell Nurse has been traded to the San Jose Sharks, per @TSNRyanRishaug. pic.twitter.com/CbFHVIow1n
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 1, 2026
The biggest thing is that the Oilers are not retaining any of Nurse's $9.25 million, as San Jose is taking it fully on.
So where do the Bruins go from here? That's the question. When the Bruins traded Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers, it was thought that they were clearing cap space for a big addition on the backend for Nurse. Of course, more money would have to go out, and it likely would have, but that wasn't the case.
There has to be a plan in progress for the Bruins to address the right-shot defenseman or a top-line center. If not, then what an underwhelming offseason this could be.
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