Oilers' Nurse out 2-3 weeks with broken finger
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse will miss two-to-three weeks after suffering a broken finger Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced Friday.
Fellow blue-liner Slater Koekkoek is also out three-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury. Defensemen Philip Broberg and William Lagesson have been recalled from the AHL's Bakersfield Condors as a result.
Additionally, goaltender Mike Smith has been moved to long-term injured reserve and remains "week-to-week at best," according to head coach Dave Tippett.
Nurse is averaging a team-high 26:06 of ice time per game this season. He's also chipped in 11 assists in 16 games.
Meanwhile, Koekkoek has played sparingly, averaging 9:48 per contest in 11 appearances.
The Oilers' defensive pairings for Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks are still to be determined, but here's the team's updated depth chart on the back end:
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Duncan Keith | Evan Bouchard |
| Kris Russell | Cody Ceci |
| Philip Broberg | Tyson Barrie |
| William Lagesson |
Broberg is in line to make his NHL debut due to the absences of Nurse and Koekkoek. The eighth overall pick in 2019 has excelled in his first AHL season, tallying 10 assists in 13 games.
The 25-year-old Lagesson has 27 career NHL games under his belt - all with Edmonton.
Smith, meanwhile, hasn't played since Oct. 19 due to a lower-body injury.