Of course, this means they will put their trust in their young defencemen, one of whom is Darnell Nurse. Though Kris Russell’s four-year extension all but ensures he will be the one stepping up to the plate to fill in for Sekera, Nurse can also compete for a top-four spot. However, can he win with Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell also prepared to remain in the top-four.
Despite sitting out for a significant chunk of the season with a leg injury, Nurse had a solid year. In 44 games with the Oilers, he posted five goals and 11 points, and had an even plus-minus rating of zero.