Defenceman Darnell Nurse signs 8-year extension with Edmonton Oilers

It’s a long-term deal for the Edmonton Oilers top defenceman Darnell Nurse.

On Friday, Nurse signed an eight-year extension worth $74 million. That’s an average annual value of $9.25 million.

Nurse, 26, is entering the final season of a deal that pays him $5.6 million per season. The new contract will kick in for the 2022-23 campaign.

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Nurse had 36 points in the 56-game 2021 season. He notched a career-high 16 goals and was +27.

Without the extension, Nurse would have become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Hamilton native has spent his entire NHL career with the Oilers after being drafted seventh overall in 2013. He 157 points in 406 games.

Nurse is the latest defenceman to ink a huge deal. On July 24, the Colorado Avalanche re-signed Cale Makar for six years and $54-million. Seth Jones signed an eight-year, $76-million extension with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 28.