NURSE NOT WORRIED ABOUT CONTRACT
Oilers defenceman still waiting on new deal
Like Toronto’s William Nylander, Calgary’s Noah Hanifin and Buffalo’s Sam Reinhart, the clock is ticking on whether Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse will have a new contract in place before the start of training camp.
But with two weeks to go, the 23-year-old restricted free agent doesn’t seem worried. Of course, the same cannot be said of some Oilers fans.
“Fans get on you,” Nurse said at this week’s BioSteel Pro Hockey Camp at St. Michael’s College School. “They say, ‘You’re not that good, you don’t deserve that much (money).’ It’s funny. It’s a whole balancing act.”
Fans can be forgiven for wanting Nurse to sign as soon as possible. While Connor McDavid once again led the league in scoring, Edmonton didn’t have enough players who were able to keep the puck out of their own net. Nurse, who had a plus-15 rating to go along with 26 points, was the rare bright spot in that department.
And looking at some of the comparables — Toronto’s Morgan Rielly signed a six-year extension worth US$30 million, while Winnipeg‘s Jacob Trouba settled for one year at $5.5 million — he should get paid for that ability. It might be a matter of whether he wants a bridge deal or something more long term.
“That doesn’t matter to me,” Nurse said. “Either way, I still have a lot to prove. I’m very confident in my game. I know how hard I’m going to work on my game not just in the next two years but my whole career.
“It’s a funny process. It’s very educational. I’m learning a lot through this whole contract process. It takes time. I have a lot of faith I’ll be there in camp. For me, there’s a lot of guys who aren’t signed. It just isn’t me.”
Nurse is coming off a year where he recorded a career-best six goals and 26 points, but is confident he can grow his game offensively after spending time with Hall of Fame defenceman Paul Coffey for parts of last season.
“Paul’s been a great help,” Nurse said. “He sees the game different than most people you get to work with. I think the offensive side of my game will continue to come out. I think last year I made a little bit of a stride. I was happy, but I wasn’t content with my offensive game. I know there’s a whole other level I can get to.”
McDAVID UNDERSTANDS TAVARES’ CHOICE
The Oilers were not one of the teams in the running for John Tavares. But as a Newmarket, Ont., native who grew up cheering for the Maple Leafs, McDavid could relate to Tavares’ decision to return home.
“I’m happy for him,” McDavid said. “(Free agency is) a long and gruelling process that I’m sure he didn’t enjoy too much. Obviously, it’s a good deal for both teams. He gets to come play where he grew up and fulfil a dream of his.
“Obviously, to be able to do that, he’s going to be able to help (the Leafs) out a lot. He’s probably one of the best players in the world, top 10 players in the world. Any time you can add that, it can help.”
UPSHALL BRINGS HUNGER TO OILERS
Despite finishing with the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference last season, the Oilers failed to make a big splash with either a trade or a signing this summer.
Their biggest move, if you can call it that, is the addition of veteran winger Scottie Upshall. But according to McDavid and Nurse, the 34-year-old is exactly what the team needs.
“I’m really excited about it,” McDavid said. “He’s done PTOs the last three or four years now and got a contract every year. I expect nothing less. He works so hard, is hard to play against, he’s speedy. He’s a veteran guy in the room. Everything that we could really use.”
Nurse agreed.
“We didn’t have that hunger that we had the year before that made us so successful,” he said.
STROME WORKS ON CONDITIONING
Dylan Strome was one of more than 30 players participating at this week’s BioSteel Pro Hockey Camp, but his real work this summer has come from training with NHL skating coach Dawn Braid, as the No. 3 pick in the 2015 draft hopes to increase his speed.
“I’ve been working with her for a while,” said Strome, who spent most of last season in the minors. “Just on my first couple of steps and my conditioning. It’s repetition. I’m trying to get a little bigger each year and hopefully that skating just comes along. It’s been a lot better.”
DOMI NO LONGER A FAN OF THE MAPLE LEAFS
As the son of Tie Domi, who played 777 games for the Maple Leafs, Max Domi obviously grew up worshipping all things blue and white. But now that he’s been traded to the Montreal Canadiens, the former Arizona Coyotes winger has quickly changed sides.
“As a Leaf fan growing up, you didn’t like the Boston Bruins or the Montreal Canadiens,” said Domi, who was acquired in a trade for Alex Galchenyuk in June. “Now, it’s totally reversed. It’s bizarre. As soon as I got traded, it was instantly like I‘d been a Montreal Canadiens fan my whole life. I dislike the Leafs, I guess.”
ICE CHIPS
While it’s been a quiet summer for Darnell Nurse, he’s kept busy following the exploits of his sister, Kia, who recently signed with the University of Canberra Capitals of Australia’s WNBL after a historic rookie season in the WNBA. “What a summer she’s had,” he said. “I just get to be Kia’s brother this summer.” ... The NHLPA announced on Monday that lawyer Bruce Meyer left the union to join Major League Baseball’s legal staff. With two years remaining on the CBA, the NHLPA has time to find a replacement ... Domi is excited about playing in Montreal, but admitted his language skills are lacking. “French wasn’t my strong suit growing up,” he said. “I guess I’ll have to take it more seriously.”
Fans get on you. They say, ‘You’re not that good, you don’t deserve that much (money).’ It’s funny. It’s a whole balancing act.