Former NHLer and now media personality Jay Rosehill wasn’t too happy after hearing comments made from Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse regarding Ryan Reaves.
Nurse, who has yet to play since taking a high hit from Reaves last Saturday, made it clear that he wasn’t at all happy with the hit, one that resulted in a five-game suspension for the Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer.
Ryan Reaves receives a 5-minute match penalty for this hit on Darnell Nurse. pic.twitter.com/hVZN9FJpRY
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 17, 2024
“You can argue about the intent, but there are certain guys in this league that, each shift, they go out there and try and go inflict pain,” Nurse told reporters yesterday. “I think it was pretty obvious what was going on there.”
It was reported that Reaves was able to find the Oilers blue liner not long after the hit in an attempt to apologize, though that didn’t seem to change Nurse’s perception. Now, Rosehill is getting involved.
Speaking on Leafs Morning Take, Rosehill not only criticized Nurse for skating around the net with his head down, but also seemed to have an issue with the physical blue liner suggesting Reaves was trying to hurt him.
“Darnell is a guy who has played the game hard; he’s thrown big hits before. Darnell, you’ve taken off your glove to punch other players with a barehanded fist. Are you out there to hurt guys? No,” Rosehill said. “He’s playing hard and playing within the game, the game within the game. That’s what Revo is doing. Do you honestly think Revo wouldn’t have rather made that hit eight inches behind and caught your shoulder? He would’ve blown you up to kingdom come and stood over you saying, ‘Choo choo, Darnell.’
“Darnell’s wheeling the net like it’s a Sunday beer skate, forgetting he’s in the NHL with a fourth-line forward forechecking him. Revo screws up, catches only his head, wraps it around the other side of his body. It’s a bad look. It’s the last thing that Ryan Reaves wanted. … If he caught your shoulder, he would’ve blown you into the third deck.”
Darnell Nurse needs to RELAX.🥶#LeafsForever | #LetsGoOilers
I don’t think he needed to go after Ryan Reaves the way he did. @TLNdc
My thoughts: pic.twitter.com/mATk1lViJ8
— Jay Rosehill (@Jay_D_Rosehill) November 22, 2024
Though Nurse has yet to return, he was able to skate with his teammates yesterday, indicating he’s making solid progress in his recovery.
Regardless of what side of the argument one falls in, everybody can agree that given all the attention this entire situation has received, these two teams going head-to-head once again on February 1 is going to be a must-watch game.
- You might also like:
- John Gibson willing to waive no-trade clause to join Oilers: report