Oilers’ Darnell Nurse Suspended One Game by NHL DoPS

** Update: Darnell Nurse has been suspended for one game by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. He will miss the season finale in San Jose, but will be available for game one of playoffs.

Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse has been suspended for one game for cross-checking against Los Angeles’ Quinton Byfield. https://t.co/mZDe51ynMz

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 16, 2025

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As per the statement by Player Safety:

“After the play has ended, Nurse pulls back his stick and shoves downward onto Byfield, striking him in the head. This is cross-checking. It is important to note that Nurse is in control throughout the entirety of this sequence and makes a decision to deliver an intentional cross-check that makes head contact on an opponent lying on the ice and is delivered with requisite force for supplemental discipline. And while we agree with the assertion that this cross-check is not delivered with exceptional force, it is only because of that fact that this incident is not met with much more harsh discipline.”

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Previous Post: 9 am Tuesday

As per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, “Per sources, I would expect the NHL Department of Player Safety (DoPS) to announce a hearing for Oilers D Darnell Nurse for his crosscheck on LA’s Quinton Byfield in Monday night’s game.” NHL insiders Frank Seravalli and Chris Johnston have also confirmed the news.

Nurse was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Quinton Byfield in Monday’s game between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. It was a nasty affair filled with penalties, and Nurse seemed to take things a step too far when he placed Byfield in a headlock near the Oilers’ net and drove him down to the ice. While down, he hit Byfield in the back of the helmet with an additional crosscheck that got him tossed from the game.

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Don’t Expect Anything Major for Nurse

As Greg Wyshynski of ESPN points out, if NHL Player Safety decides to take action against Nurse for the cross-checking game misconduct, any discipline will likely be minimal—unless Byfield ends up dealing with a significant injury. It was bad, but it wasn’t egregious, and Andrew Mangiapane’s one-game suspension in 2023 for cross-checking Jared McCann didn’t lead to much.

As for Nurse, any potential punishment probably hinges on the force of the cross-check and the extent of Byfield’s injury.

Mark Spector of Sportsnet posted during the game, “Nurse can’t deliver that shot to the back of Byfield’s head. Whatever he gets, he deserves.” He then added, “The Nurse cross-check to the back of a prone Quinton Byfield’s head will have the Oilers squirming this week.”

The Oilers are already without Mattias Ekholm, who is likely done for the season. Edmonton can’t afford to be down another top defenseman for any length of time. If it’s the final game of the season, it won’t mean much, given the Oilers’ playoff spot is already secure.

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