"He’s been the catalyst most nights" - Darnell Nurse reserves special praise for $112,000,000 Oilers superstar

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse lauded his teammate Leon Draisaitl for the latter’s game-winning performance on Friday. Draisaitl scored twice to take the Oilers to a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders, extending his scoring streak to 16 games.

The German center also reached the 100-point milestone on the night and extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring charts with 49 goals. William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs is in a distant second place with 36 goals.

Nurse was effusive in his praise of Draisaitl after the game.

“He’s been the horse for us. He’s been the catalyst most nights,” Nurse said via The Athletic. “He’s one of the best players in the world and he’s showing it night in and night out.”

“It’s that time of year. You see it year in and year out with him as the year goes on. Later and later, he elevates his game to another level. That’s why he’s so important and so special in this league.”

Leon Draisaitl is one of the highest paid players in the league. He signed an eight-year, $112-million contract with the Oilers at the start of this season. The German center extended his point streak to 17 games, a personal best. He has scored 12 goals and 14 assists during his current streak. Speaking to the media after the game, he talked about his great run of form.

“I’ve felt good all year,” Draisaitl said, via The Athletic. “Some years, it works better than others. That’s just the way it is sometimes. Obviously, this year it’s gone my way so far. So looking to continue that, continue to work at it and just keep getting better.”

Friday’s win was just the sixth time the Oilers have come out on top in their last 16 games. They were in particularly poor form after the NHL resumed following the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, losing four games in a row.

Darnell Nurse crosses 700-game milestone in the NHL

Veteran Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse played in his 700th NHL game on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. During an interview with Sportsnet’s Gene Principe after the first period on the night, Nurse talked about his career.

“It’s a pretty cool moment,” Nurse said via Sportsnet. “I think, every once in a while you have to step back and appreciate some of the moments…lots of highs and lows, but with that said, always dreamed of playing in the NHL. It’s pretty cool to be doing it with this organization and play a game like this in this building.”

Nurse became the 12th Oilers player to play in 700 games or more.