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Oilers keep defenseman Darnell Nurse with 2-year contract

EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers have signed Darnell Nurse to a two-year contract, ending a lengthy stalemate with one of their top defensemen.

The team did not disclose financial terms.

The 23-year-old Nurse led Edmonton blue liners in 2017-18 with six goals and 20 assists in 82 games.

Nurse had said he wouldn't participate in training camp without a new contract.

The two-year "bridge deal" will keep Nurse in Edmonton until the team can free up some cap space and potentially sign him to a contract worth more money or for a longer term.

It's a similar type of deal to the two-year, $6.3 million contract the Winnipeg Jets and defenseman Josh Morrissey agreed to on Sunday.

The Oilers opened their preseason Monday night in Calgary against the Flames.