(Edmonton, AB) - The Edmonton Oilers have signed defenceman and alternate captain Darnell Nurse to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $9.25 million. The contract will begin in the 2022-23 season.

Nurse, 26, appeared in all 56 games with the Oilers during the shortened 2020-21 season, posting 36 points (16G, 20A), 57 penalty minutes and a +27 plus/minus rating. He ranked second among Oilers defencemen in points (36), assists (20), hits (117) and blocked shots (100), as well as ranked second among all NHL defencemen in goals (16). Nurse led the Oilers in average time on ice (25:38) and finished third in the NHL in total time on ice (1435:00). He also played in four playoff games, notching one assist and two penalty minutes.

The 6’4”, 221-pound blueliner has appeared in 406 career NHL games, all with Edmonton, registering 157 points (45G,112A), 352 penalty minutes and a +20 plus/minus rating. Nurse set career highs in 2020-21 posting a career best 16 goals and recorded a career/Oilers-high in single game time on ice, playing 62:07 on May 24 in game four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against Winnipeg.

The Hamilton, Ontario native has appeared in 21 career NHL playoff games with Edmonton, recording five assists and 14 penalty minutes.

Nurse ranks 10th in Oilers all-time defencemen scoring with 157 points, as well ranks 5th in goals (45), 11th in games (406), 12th in assists (112) and average time on ice (22:18).

Nurse was selected by Edmonton in the first round, 7th overall at the 2013 NHL Draft.