Nope.

Generally teams don't wait for prospects to get good and then trade them.

If the Oilers extend Nurse they will have 2020 the following on the D :

Klefboom
Larsson
Russell
Nurse
Bouchard


Now look how many UFA on FWs they have.
That is why this move makes sense.

Leafs management from the 2000's would like a word with you. 😛

Its just too much to bear...

Ok it makes sense for the Leafs but not the Oilers. Bear is an RFA so they have him for the next 5yrs. Russell is 32 and his best years are behind him so if Edmonton moves a defenseman it would be Russell. Bracco is 22yr old winger, who has never played an NHL game despite lighting it up last season in the AHL Now with Tavares hurt why hasn't Bracco been called up yet? So why would Edmonton trade a good young defenseman who is starting breakout in the NHL.

Moving Russell is going to cost the hefty price, maybe even retention.

Obviously not a trade Oiler fans are going to like, however, Bracco is good enough to be in the top 6 in Edmonton now. Which isn't an endorsement of his skills.

Russell’s contract becomes very buyout friendly next season.

No. Why would they want to trade him?

Not really buyout friendly.. 3M buyout so only 1M savings. What it does become is very tradeable to the right teams after July 1st bonus Russell's salary will only be 1.5M. I don't think Oilers would have to "pay a hefty price" to move Russell bit of retention and Oilers likely to get midround pick back plus Russell actually looked fairly decent this year especially when playing leftside

Bear is a 22 year old RFA who is crushing it playing top-pairing minutes against elite competition. I do not know who Bracco is frankly, but even with a 3rd, I could not see this making sense for Edmonton.

What about after Russell's bonus is paid? Is his buyout penalty still $3m?

Larsson and Russell will only have 1 year left. You're better off trading for one of them.

Edited: the trouble is that the buyout window is in June, while the bonus gets paid out July 1st (I believe), so it can only happen if the Oilers have an RFA who opts for arbitration.

Bear is playing 1st pairing RHD in Edmonton right now - and he looks good doing it.

It would not be a hefty price, as was said though. In a worse case scenario the Oilers would save a million of Russell’s cap hit and cost $0 after the contract in a buyout. I believe that NHL opportunities should be made available for Edmontons young defenceman, without paying a vet millions of dollars to sit.

No he isn't. Bracco is an undersized 22 year old winger who scored 1.05 p/gp in the AHL last year, he isn't as good as Edmonton's Cooper Marody, a 6'0 22 year old center who scored 1.10 p/gp in the AHL last year.

So no, this trade isn't close.

Considering that EDM TOP-6 is statistically currently one of the best in the entire league and that the asset you're talking about hasn't played a single game yet in NHL, I'd say this is nothing but a load of crap.

Okay bud, the team is a mirage and it's going to turn. Bad across the board when McDavid isn't on the ice. He doesn't score 2 or more points and Edmonton has no chance of winning. They could squeek in sure but only because the Pacific sucks.

Okay really great analysis there.

McDavid is tops the rest not so much.

Draisaitl , RNH, and Neal aren’t good players?

Not sure if you've been watching many leaf games lately Logan, but stones and glass houses come to mind right about now..

Well, sure. But 2 things: (1) McDavid has no points in the past 2 games (a rare thing) and the Oilers want 1-0-1 in those games, so there's more to this team than just him; and (2) this has NOTHING to do with the fact that Ethan Bear has 10x the value that Bracco has. Nothing.