Darnell Nurse and Marco Sturm should not be part of the same Bruins plan this summer.

Nurse asked out of Edmonton, so the name is going to get thrown around fast. That is what happens when a big-minute defenseman suddenly hits the market.

But Boston needs to stay disciplined here. Just because a player is available does not mean he fits what the Bruins actually need.

The first issue is the simplest one. Nurse is a left-shot defenseman, and Boston's blue-line hole is on the right side.

That part matters more than fans want to admit. If Don Sweeney is spending real assets on a top-four defender, it has to solve a problem, not create another layer of imbalance.

Nurse can still play. He brings size, penalty-kill value, and second-pair minutes. On the wrong roster, though, those strengths can still turn into a bad fit.

And for the Bruins, fit is the whole story. This team is not one move away from comfort, so every major add has to hit the right target.

“The Bruins' top need when it comes to their blueline is a top-four right-shot defenseman. Nurse, who is a left-shot defenseman, does not fit that description.”

- Michael DeRosa

A growing number of people are warning Don Sweeney about Darnell Nurse

The second problem is the contract, and this is where the idea really starts to fall apart. Nurse carries a $9.25 million cap hit through the end of the 2029-30 season.

That is a massive number for a Bruins team that still has other holes to fill. Boston does not only need help on defense. It also still needs more punch down the middle.

“The 31-year-old defenseman has an expensive $9.25 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season. With this, there would be a lot of risk in acquiring him, and it's just not worth it with the Bruins having other needs to address.”

- Michael DeRosa

That is why this would be a bad allocation of money and assets. A team in a retool cannot afford to get trapped in the wrong big contract just because the player name is familiar.

Nurse would help some clubs. A team that needs a heavier left-shot defender and can live with the price might talk itself into the gamble.

Boston should not be that team. The Bruins need a right-shot top-four option far more than they need another expensive left-shot body on the back end.

There is also the roster-construction angle. Charlie McAvoy is already the centerpiece, and if Boston is making a blue-line swing, it should be one that complements him cleanly.

That is the part that keeps bringing this back to a no. Nurse is a recognizable NHL defenseman, but recognizable is not the same as right.

The Bruins have to be sharper than that this summer. If they chase Darnell Nurse because he is available, they risk paying premium money for a move that still leaves their biggest blue-line need untouched.

Source : Bruins Must Steer Clear Of Expensive Oilers Defenseman