$74,000,000 Oilers D-man warns against major roster changes in Connor McDavid-led team despite back-to-back SCF losses

Darnell Nurse has been with the Edmonton Oilers for 11 seasons since being selected seventh overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. The 30-year-old defenseman has yet to win the Stanley Cup, despite the Oilers reaching the final twice, only to lose to the Florida Panthers both times.

The Oilers have maintained a strong core of star players, including forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, for nearly a decade. However, following back-to-back losses in the Cup final, many are pushing for roster changes.

Nurse, reflecting on his time with a rebuilding Oilers team, cautions against drastic changes.

“You’ve got to be careful on change," Nurse said via Sportsnet. “When you're a team coming up, you would lose in the first round and the message would be, ‘Just stick with it. It's going to come.’ Now, we've been in two Stanley Cup Finals and it feels like, the closer you get, the more everything feels like it needs to change."

He emphasizes that the team must continue to push forward and capitalize on their experiences.

“We’ve got to keep knocking at the door and give ourselves the opportunity. For the guys that have been through the experiences, we have to lean on those experiences — lean on the knowledge that we've gotten so far," he added.

Darnell Nurse is currently signed to an eight-year, $74 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. His contract is set to expire after the 2029-30 season.

Darnell Nurse scored in Edmonton Oilers' preseason defeat to Calgary Flames

The Edmonton Oilers played with a split squad in two preseason games against the Calgary Flames on Sunday. One team won their game 3-0.

The other team lost 3-2 in overtime, with Darnell Nurse scoring one of the Oilers’ goals. The other goal scorer for the Oilers in the overtime defeat was Matvey Petrov.

Darnell Nurse and the Oilers travel to Canada Life Centre to play against the Winnipeg Jets in their next preseason matchup on Tuesday. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Also Read: Insider reckons Connor McDavid, Quinn Hughes, other stars are "bound to start moving more," as compared to recent NHL history

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta