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Oilers get encouraging Darnell Nurse injury update

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints | By Josue Pavon | Last updated Sep 28, 2024 3:52 PM ET

After the Edmonton Oilers dealt with the news of left wing Evander Kane’s new timeline for recovery from surgery, they received good news regarding defenseman Darnell Nurse. Despite Edmonton’s defenseman missing four consecutive exhibition games, head coach Kris Knoblach is confident Nurse will be ready for the team’s regular-season opener against the Winnipeg Jets on October 9.

With four preseason games left on the schedule, Knoblach plans to play Nurse for one, if not two, of those outings before the beginning of the 2024-25 regular season, per NHL.com.

“We feel Darnell is going to be ready for regular season,” Knoblauch said Saturday morning. “We feel he’s going to be ready to play one, if not two exhibition games.” Nurse suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers last season. He played the remainder of the series before losing to the Panthers in seven games. As one of the five returning defensemen for the Oilers, Josh Brown, Ty Emberson, and Travis Dermott compete for the final spot ahead of the regular season. “To say that we know how it’s been shaping up has been difficult just because we’ve been missing a really big part of our defense,” Knoblauch said. “Darnell has been practicing and he feels good, but he still hasn’t played in a game, so we don’t know exactly.” With one or two preseason appearances in the card for Nurse, Knoblauch and the Oilers will better understand where their defenseman’s health stands before the 2024-25 campaign commences.

Evander Kane hit with tough injury return timeline following surgery

Oilers left wing Evander Kane (91) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers in game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In the wake of Evander Kane’s new timeline, Edmonton the Oilers re-signed Leon Draisaitl to an extension worth eight-year, $112 million extension and Mike Hoffman to a professional tryout contract, inviting him to training camp. The 34-year-old has recorded 228 goals and 259 assists in 745 NHL career games. Kane, who underwent surgery in late September, won’t return until 2025 , per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. “Evander Kane had his surgery Friday in NYC. No exact timeline for recovery, but not expected to be available until January/February,” Friedman reported. After missing most of the Stanley Cup Final due to multiple injuries, including hip adductors and abdominal issues, Kane elected to spend the summer rehabbing rather than undergoing surgery. However, that was no longer an option by September, and Kane went under the knife in late September, ahead of the upcoming season. Still, for the Oilers to have Darnell Nurse back into the fold, is an encouraging development. The Oilers beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in their latest outing on Sunday and are 1-3 through four preseason outings.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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