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Oilers' Darnell Nurse Under Fire After Fight With Flyers' Garnet Hathaway
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- Oilers' Darnell Nurse Under Fire After Fight With Flyers' Garnet Hathaway
The Edmonton Oilers found themselves under pressure Saturday night after a rough first period against the Philadelphia Flyers .
Edmonton trailed 3-1 after 20 minutes and struggled to match the Flyers' energy. Tempers boiled over in the first period, leading to a chaotic fight that quickly stole the spotlight.
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Defenseman Darnell Nurse dropped the gloves with Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway in what appeared to be an attempt to spark his team. The Oilers' official X account shared the news, posting, "Nurse & Hathaway drop the gloves."
The fight itself was awkward, as both players spun wildly while throwing punches that largely missed their targets. Hathaway appeared to stay more balanced, landing a few minor shots. While no clear winner emerged, the optics did not favor Nurse.
The clip spread fast, and fan reactions followed just as quickly. Some fans turned the focus toward Nurse's contract (an eight-year, $74 million deal), the defenseman has a $9.25 million cap hit.
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"Nurse should drop his contract instead 🥊," a fan wrote .
"I was cheering for Hathaway in hopes he would take Nurse out of the game for us," another fan said .
"Best thing nurse has done today was fight, so he is off the ice for 5 min," another fan mentioned .
"That idiot just killed a potential o-zone possession with McDavid on the ice to get killed in a fight," one fan reacted .
"No great loss for the Oilers. Maybe Bouchard can do the same, and we won't have as many goals," One fan wrote .
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"I think I'd give Nurse a drug test. That's a lot of swings hitting nothing. What is he seeing? Well, at least he's off the ice for 5 mins. Addition by subtraction," one fan mentioned .
The criticism reflected broader frustration with Edmonton's defensive play. Nurse remains in focus because of that and continues to draw scrutiny. He had a -6 plus-minus rating before the Flyers games.
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch looks on.Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Despite the backlash, Edmonton has looked good in recent games. The Oilers sit at 20-15-6 (before Flyers game) and lead a tight Pacific Division race. Their offense, led by captain Connor McDavid , and league-best power play have carried results. However, defensive lapses continue to surface in key moments.
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With playoff goals and championship expectations, performance like this takes the spotlight even more. For Nurse, the fight may have shown emotion, but fans are demanding results that better match his contract and role.
Related: Oilers Announce Tristan Jarry Update Before Flyers Game
Related: Oilers' Connor McDavid Opens Up on His Bizarre Phobia After Revelation
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
