Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse Calls Out Ryan Reaves' Headshot Intent

EDMONTON — Darnell Nurse, a veteran defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers, has spoken out following a controversial hit from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves, which many believe was a deliberate attempt to target his head. Nurse, known for his imposing six-foot-four frame, described the incident, which left him with a visible injury to his eye, as more than just an unfortunate play.

“I’ve been around the game long enough to know that when you get rocked like that, some of the responsibility lies on me to be aware of my surroundings,” Nurse admitted. “However, the onus is also on the hitter to make a clean hit. My head was not in a vulnerable position; I was skating upright, and Reaves elevated to make contact with my head rather than my body.”

The debate over hit intentionality has ignited discussions across the league. Nurse emphasized that certain players have a reputation for playing with aggression and intent to inflict damage, suggesting that Reaves fits into this category. “You can argue about intent,” he said, “but some guys enter every shift looking to hurt others. It’s pretty obvious what happened.”

In the aftermath, Reaves approached Nurse in the Scotiabank Arena to apologize for the hit, but Nurse quickly dismissed the gesture. “Does that matter to you?” a reporter asked him, to which Nurse replied, “Not really.”

Currently, the Oilers are grappling with a series of injuries. In addition to Nurse, they are also missing key players such as Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson. Head coach Kris Knoblauch reported that Hyman would be sidelined for four to seven days, while Arvidsson will not participate in games this week. Nurse, who skated with the team during morning practice ahead of Thursday's match against the Minnesota Wild, is uncertain about his return timeline. “I feel good,” he noted. “But recovery from concussions is not just about how I feel; it’s a team decision.”

Despite the setback, Nurse remains determined to return stronger. “I've been injured before, and I understand the importance of taking care of my body and my brain,” he stated. Notably, he has never experienced a head injury previously during his extensive career, which spans 658 games.

Reaves has since been handed a five-game suspension for the hit after the league reviewed the incident. If Nurse is unable to return by the Oilers’ road trip that begins next Friday in Utah, he will miss at least four games along with a significant portion of the game against the Maple Leafs, where he was injured.

“This isn’t the first time injuries happen in hockey; it’s part of the job,” Nurse reflected. “While it can be frustrating, I’m focused on my recovery and plan to build on the momentum I had before this incident as soon as I’m back on the ice.”

As the season progresses, Nurse's situation has become a focal point not just for the Oilers but for the entire NHL, reigniting conversations about player safety and the duty of athletes to protect one another on the ice.