The Edmonton Oilers will be missing forward Evander Kane for a significant portion of the 2024-25 season, and now they will also start training camp without another key player. Veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse is anticipated to be sidelined at the beginning of camp due to an injury.
Oilers analyst Tom Gazzola reports that Nurse is still dealing with a residual injury from the team’s Stanley Cup Final run. Gazzola indicates that Nurse should be ready for the start of the regular season and expected to be fully recovered by the end of training camp.
Nurse has participated in informal skates with teammates, but has not engaged in official activities. The exact nature of his injury is unclear, but it originated during the Oilers’ Stanley Cup Final series against the Florida Panthers.
Despite his nearly decade-long NHL career, Nurse faced significant criticism during the playoffs. He played 25 games in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, ending with a minus-9 rating.
During the regular season, Nurse recorded 10 goals and 22 assists in 81 games, totaling 32 points. While this is respectable for a defenseman, the team’s highest-paid blue liner is expected to deliver more.
Nurse is entering the fourth year of an eight-year contract that pays him $9.25 million annually. Over his 640 career games, he has accumulated 76 goals and 191 assists for 267 points.
Typically one of the Oilers’ most durable players, Nurse has rarely missed games in recent seasons. The team does not expect him to miss any regular-season games but will closely monitor his condition, which has lingered throughout the offseason.
As the Oilers aim to contend for the Cup again, they will need Nurse to return to the form that justified his substantial contract.
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