Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse reveals injury 2022 NHL Playoffs
(Photo Credit: Oilers TV)

Darnell Nurse is a warrior.

Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse played through serious injury in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Oilers won two playoff rounds before getting swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

The Oilers were eliminated with a 6-5 overtime loss on Monday night. After the game concluded, Nurse revealed the details of his injury in his post-game interview. “I tore my hip flexor, so I dealt with that for three series”, Nurse revealed.

Nurse added that he sustained the injury at the end of the regular season. While Nurse played the entire postseason injured, he didn’t want to use that as an excuse for the loss.

“Everyone’s banged up this time of year…,” Nurse said. “There’s no excuse when you get to get to this point of the season.”

Nurse conducted his post-game interview alongside goalie Mike Smith. Nurse reveals his serious injury at the 3:00 minute mark of the video below.

Nurse was one of the NHL’s best defensemen during the regular season, scoring nine goals and 35 points to go with a plus-18 rating. He had nowhere near the same type of impact in the playoffs.

It was clear to anybody watching Nurse in the playoff that he was playing injured. The 27-year-old rearguard only managed six points in 15 playoff games while posting a plus-five rating.

Nurse proved in these playoffs that he is a warrior and will do anything to help his team win. Most people in his age range would require a wheelchair to move around when dealing with a torn hip flexor.

While Nurse proved his dedication, there are some downsides. Nurse at times appeared to be a liability to the team due to his lack of mobility. He also potentially caused long-term damage by playing through the pain.

While Nurse playing injured is controversial, we can’t question his dedication. The Oilers came one series victory away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.

We wish the best for Darnell Nurse in his recovery from his torn hip flexor injury.