After being rocked by a violent hit to the head during a game in Toronto this weekend, defenceman Darnell Nurse will likely by out of action for five to 10 days, according to Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.
“He’s progressed really well,” Knoblauch said Monday. “He’s doing as good as he can.
“We’ll take our time and make sure that he’s ready when he does to return.”
On Saturday night, Nurse left the ice bleeding and did not return to the game after being hit by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves in the second period.
Nurse was carrying the puck along the end boards in the Oilers’ zone and did not appear to see Reaves coming when he hit him high. Reaves was thrown out of the game and on Sunday, the NHL announced the Leafs player would be suspended for five games.
After Saturday night’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Leafs, Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins described Reaves’ hit as “a dangerous play.”
“(Reaves) has got to know that Nursey doesn’t see him coming and choose the right path there, and he doesn’t,” he said.
“It’s tough to see one of your teammates on the ice like that.”
Knoblauch described the hit as “a big scare.”
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“As a coach, you just wish it never happened, and I guess no punishment could be severe enough in our opinion,” Knoblauch said. “But I think the NHL handled it well and we’re obviously just worried about Darnell and wish that hadn’t happened, but it is what it is.”
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was asked about the suspension by reporters on Monday.
“It’s a lot but at the same time I get it,” he said. “They’ve come down hard on hits to the head and it’s not like Reavo tried to hit him in the head, it’s just a tough play.”
The update on Nurse’s status came as the Oilers continue their three-game road trip. The club will face off against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
While the team’s defensive pairings for the game had yet to be confirmed, the Oilers announced on Sunday that they had recalled defenceman Josh Brown from the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors.
Brown has put up two points and served 46 minutes in the penalty box in 12 games with the Condors this season. Edmonton signed him to a contract this summer.
Edmonton winger Viktor Arvidsson will miss a third straight game on Monday as he continues to deal with an undisclosed injury.
The Oilers (9-7-2) currently occupy fifth place in the NHL Pacific Division standings while the Habs (6-10-2) remain in last place in the Atlantic Division despite coming off a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets this weekend.
Some of the Oilers’ top players have fared well when playing against Montreal recently. In his last 10 games against the Habs, captain Connor McDavid has scored six goals and put up 17 points while Leon Draisaitl is currently on a nine-game point streak against the Canadiens.
On Monday, McDavid was named the NHL’s first star of the week after he recorded eight points in three games while also reaching the 1,000 career points milestone.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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