Milestone night in Edmonton as Oilers’ Darnell Nurse plays 600th game, Evander Kane scores 600th point

Edmonton Oilers Evander Kane and Darnell Nurse both reached milestones on Thursday night as the Oilers tied the 1967-68 Montreal Canadiens for the longest win streak in the NHL by a Canadian team following a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken.

Initially drafted by the Oilers with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, Nurse celebrated his 600th game in orange and blue on Thursday. Seven months ago, there was plenty of criticism around the six-foot-four Oilers’ blueliner, but recently, that criticism has taken a back seat to fans appreciating his revitalized performance at 5v5 and on the penalty kill.

Since joining the club, Nurse has slowly made his way into the club’s top four defensive pairings and hasn’t budged since. Thursday night was no different, as Nurse played a total of 19:17 with two blocked shots to contribute to the Oilers’ victory over the Kraken.

Nurse has suited up in all 41 games for the Oilers this season, scoring six goals and 16 points.

Kane also celebrated a milestone on Thursday, recording his 600th NHL point. Kane came to the Oilers in 2022 following a four-year stint with the San Jose Sharks. Kane immediately impacted the organization, scoring the opening goal in his debut game to help lift the Oilers to a 7-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Since then, Kane has established himself in the Oilers top six as a formidable forward. Surprisingly, Kane was a game-time decision on Thursday night as he was reportedly dealing with a hand injury after blocking a shot the following day during the Oilers’ morning skate. However, the forward took the ice and contributed two assists to supply his 599th and 600th points and helped the Oilers grasp their 12th straight win.

Kane has appeared in 40 games for the team this season, recording 14 goals and 27 points while averaging 17:28 of ice time per night.

The Oilers will seek their 13th straight win to break the record for longest winning streak by a Canadian team in the NHL on Saturday as they take on the Calgary Flames in the first Battle of Alberta since the Oilers 5-2 victory over the Flames in the 20th annual Heritage Classic at the end of October 2023.