Nurse: Oilers' offseason adds will 'push us to another level'

Consider Darnell Nurse a fan of the Edmonton Oilers' busy offseason.

After the Oilers brought in Zach Hyman, Derek Ryan, and Warren Foegele to bolster their forward depth, as well as Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci to transform their blue line, Nurse said Friday he's excited to work with the club's new additions.

"I think, if you look at our team from when the season ended to now ... we've made a lot of improvements," Nurse said, per The Canadian Press. "On the back end, we've added some really steady pieces that have played a lot of games and (that) you know each and every night are going to bring it."

The club's top-pair defender, who's fresh off inking an eight-year, $74-million extension, singled out Hyman and Foegele for their attitude and mentality. Nurse said both players, who've been working out with several of their Oilers teammates in Toronto this offseason, just want to get "better and better."

"I don't think you can have enough of (that) on your team," Nurse said. "And I think they'll bring that to our team and continue to push us to another level."

Edmonton also retained Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Tyson Barrie, and Mike Smith on new multi-year contracts this offseason.

The Oilers enter the 2021-22 campaign looking to rebound from a disappointing first-round sweep after finishing second in last season's North Division.