With Darnell Nurse gone the Edmonton Oilers are eyeing a big forward and the clock is ticking

Owen Tippett is the kind of scorer the Oilers could chase once Darnell Nurse's cap hit comes off the books. The catch is whether he's even available.

That's the question Lowetide raised, wondering if Tippett is truly available the way Jordan Kyrou appears to be.

His comparison was sharp. Tippett is 27 on a $6.2 million deal, with 103 goals over the last four years by Lowetide's count. Kyrou is 28, his goals halved year-over-year, on an $8.125 million contract through 2030-31.

Lowetide's verdict: one is available, and the other probably isn't. The read is that Tippett likely stays put while Kyrou is the more gettable name.

So temper the excitement before it starts. But the fit conversation is still worth having for Edmonton.

Lowetide's full breakdown is the kind of cold-water take that separates real targets from wish-list names.

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A Nurse trade is what opens the door for a move like this

Start with why Tippett would work in Edmonton. He scored 28 goals with 51 points this season, a proven finisher who could ride shotgun with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

The Oilers have needed reliable secondary scoring on the wing for years. A player like Tippett checks that box cleanly.

Here's the part the user nailed, though. None of it happens until the cap clears, and Nurse is the anchor.

Nurse carries a $9.25 million hit. Move him, even in a swap for a cheaper contract like the Joel Edmundson scenario Jim Matheson floated, and Edmonton frees real room.

That space is roughly what a winger like Tippett costs at $6.2 million. You can't add until you subtract, and Nurse is the subtraction that unlocks everything.

So the sequencing is everything for Stan Bowman. Clear the Nurse money first, then the interesting moves become possible.

Here's my read: the logic is sound, and Tippett would be a strong fit. But Lowetide's caution matters. You can't build a plan around a player who probably isn't available.

If Tippett's door is closed, Edmonton chases the names that are open, and Kyrou might be one of them despite the bigger contract and the dip.

It all starts with Nurse. Until that's resolved, Tippett or anyone else is just a name on a wish list.

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