Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note the date of Darnell Nurse’s injury was April 22.
Darnell Nurse practiced with the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday for the first time since suffering an injury in the game against the Colorado Avalanche on April 22. He missed the final four games of the regular season.
When asked if he’ll play in Monday’s playoff opener against the L.A. Kings (630 CHED, Face-off Show begins at 6 p.m., and the game starts at 8 p.m.), Nurse grinned.
“We’ll see,” he replied.
Nurse certainly looked ready to play as the team practiced at the Downtown Community Arena.
“He’s a big part of our team, no doubt. I thought he looked good today. We’ll see how he feels,” said captain Connor McDavid.
The Oilers go into the playoffs having gone 26-9-3 since Jay Woodcroft took over as head coach on February 10. That’s the third-best points percentage in the NHL in the span.
“It’s nice that everyone is on the same page. We’re not going out there playing a game we don’t really believe in. We certainly believe in the system and believe in Woody and believe in each other,” explained McDavid.
“It starts with one game. You’re trying to get that first win then you build on top of it and make your adjustments afterwards,” said Woodcroft.
The Oilers and Kings are meeting in the playoffs on Monday for the first time since 1992.