Edmonton Oilers veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse is expected to be called to the carpet by the NHL Department of Player Safety as a result of Monday’s cross-check to the head of Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield, reports Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Occurring late in the second period, Nurse was penalized with a major penalty and a game misconduct, while Byfield exited with an upper-body injury and did not return. Kings head coach Jim Hiller did not have an update on Byfield’s status following the 5-0 road victory, per team reporter Zach Dooley.
A hearing will mark the third time Nurse has gone before the NHL Department of Player Safety. In March 2016, Nurse was suspended for three games following an altercation with former San Jose Sharks defenseman Roman Polak, while in May 2022 he was banned for one game after headbutting Kings center Phillip Danault. Of note, Nurse was fined $5,000 in October 2022 for interference on former Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Kyle Burroughs, while in May 2023 he was automatically suspended for one game for instigating in the final five minutes of regulation.
On the season, Nurse has made 76 appearances with the Oilers in which he has registered five goals and 28 assists for 33 points coupled with a plus-11 rating and a team-leading 72 penalty minutes. Originally chosen seventh overall by the Oilers in the 2013 NHL Draft, Nurse has since totaled 716 career contests in which he has tallied 81 goals and 219 assists for 300 points alongside 621 penalty minutes.
Per PuckPedia, Nurse is in the third year of an eight-year pact that carries a $9.25-million annual average value.
With their victory Monday, the Kings improved to 47-24-9 on the season to lock in second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage ahead of their fourth consecutive opening round playoff series against the Oilers.
