In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, Darnell Nurse was knocked out Saturday’s game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs after an ugly hit to the head by Ryan Reaves. Is Nurse going to miss any time? Meanwhile, Viktor Arvidsson missed his second-straight game. Will he be back in time for the back-to-back versus Montreal and Ottawa? Evander Kane has fun with the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight and Connor McDavid reaches 1000 points.
Will Darnell Nurse Miss Any Time for the Oilers?
Ryan Reaves is facing a suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety for his hit on Nurse. TSN’s Craig Button tweeted that the league could look at several infractions, including charging, the head as the principal point of contact, and deliberate intent to injure. Still, the NHL DoPS deemed that any suspension would be five games or less.
Elliotte Friedman provided an injury update and while Nurse’s official status remains uncertain, “He was walking around and joking with trainers, per @EdmontonJack. Ryan Reaves went towards Edmonton’s room for a face-to-face apology during the third period. We await the NHL’s decision on supplemental discipline, posted the insider.
Latest on Viktor Arvidsson
There was some thought that Viktor Arvidsson might play versus the Maple Leafs on Saturday after the forward joined the rest of the Oilers in the morning skate. He ultimately didn’t play, but the belief is that he’ll be back in the lineup on Monday and Tuesday as the Oilers face the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
Arvidsson hasn’t produced as much as both sides would probably like, but he’s a hard player to play against and the Oilers do miss him. For now, Edmonton has been going with an 11-7 formation, which coach Kris Knoblauch likes because he can shuffle his forwards. Still, having Arvidsson in the lineup is better than not having him.
Evander Kane Revisits 2020 Challenge to Jake Paul
In the aftermath of the disappointing Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, a throwback social media post from Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane gained renewed attention this weekend. The post, originally from 2020, saw Kane challenging Jake Paul—then an internet sensation and not yet the boxing figure he is today—to a fight. At the time, Kane was with the San Jose Sharks and facing an uncertain future after a turbulent period in his career.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Oilers’ 4-3 Overtime Loss to Maple Leafs
Fast forward to 2024, and Kane, now established with the Oilers, took to Twitter on Friday night to remind fans of his challenge. Jokingly, Kane asserted that even after four years, he still believes he could take down Paul, tweeting, “both of his eyes would be shut” if they ever squared off.
Kane is a big MMA fan, known for his toughness on the ice, but fighting someone like Paul in a boxing match might not be the best decision for the NHL forward.
Connor McDavid Hits 1000 Points
A special congratulations to Connor McDavid who became the fourth-fastest player to reach 1000 points in the NHL this week. He scored several points versus the New York Islanders to come up one point shy, then hit the marker versus the Nashville Predators thanks to a beauty pass from none other than Leon Draisaitl.
The question fans are already asking is whether McDavid can get to 2000 points and if so, how quickly? McDavid is only 27 years old so as the league sees scoring increase year over year, the chances he gets there if he stays healthy is pretty good.