Oilers' Darnell Nurse Faces DoPS Hearing For Nasty Cheap-shot
According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the NHL Department of Player Safety (DoPS) is expected to announce a hearing for Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse following his cross-check on Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield during Monday’s game.
NHL insiders Frank Seravalli and Chris Johnston have also verified the pending review.
Per sources, I would expect the NHL Department of Player Safety to announce a hearing for Oilers D Darnell Nurse for his crosscheck on LA’s Quinton Byfield in Monday night’s game.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) April 15, 2025
Nurse received a major penalty and a game misconduct for the incident, which occurred during a heated matchup filled with penalties. The altercation escalated when Nurse put Byfield in a headlock near the Oilers’ net, drove him to the ice, and then delivered an additional cross-check to the back of Byfield’s helmet while he was down.
The play prompted an immediate ejection.
Darnell Nurse was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Quinton Byfield. pic.twitter.com/J7yFs492ce
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2025
As ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski notes, any suspension for Nurse would likely be minimal unless Byfield suffers a significant injury. While the cross-check was reckless, it wasn’t deemed egregious enough to warrant a harsh penalty—especially considering precedent, such as Andrew Mangiapane’s one-game suspension in 2023 for a similar infraction against Jared McCann.
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector criticized Nurse’s actions during the game, stating, "Nurse can’t deliver that shot to the back of Byfield’s head. Whatever he gets, he deserves." He later added, "The cross-check to the back of a prone Byfield’s head will have the Oilers squirming this week."
As for Edmonton, they are already without Mattias Ekholm, who is likely out for the remainder of the season. Losing Nurse for any length of time would further strain their blue line—though if any suspension only covers the final regular-season game, the impact would be minimal, as the Oilers have already clinched a playoff spot.
Image - Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn
