from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

Darnell Nurse doesn’t want to drag this out much longer.

The supersized defenceman with genes you wish you had and jeans you’ll never fit into calls his fellow Edmonton Oilers his brothers, his family.

He can’t imagine not joining them in Alberta in a couple weeks, under lowered expectations and heightened urgency, of stepping into camp determined to build off his best year personally and a kick in the head professionally.

The catch: Nurse, one of the NHL’s several restricted free agents still unsigned in these back-to-school shopping days, is the only Oiler without a job in place for the 2018-19 season — yet.

“No matter how long it takes or what goes down, I’m always ready to go. That’s always been my main focus: When the puck drops, I’ll be there,” Nurse said Monday at BioSteel Camp, after sniping on consecutive three-on-three rushes.

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