EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers say they have signed defenceman, and alternate captain, Darnell Nurse to an eight-year contract extension.

The contract has an average annual value of US$9.25 million and will begin in the 2022-2023 season.

Nurse, 26, appeared in all 56 games for the Oilers during the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season.

He posted 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists), and ranked second among Oilers defencemen in points, assists, hits and blocked shots.

He also ranked second among all NHL defencemen in goals.

Nurse was selected seventh overall by the Oilers in the 2013 draft and has appeared in 406 career games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2021.

The Canadian Press