The Edmonton Oilers are locked in early on in the 2026-27 NHL season. With seven points, they sit second in the Western Conference behind the Vegas Golden Knights. However, on Saturday afternoon, they face the San Jose Sharks and former teammate Darnell Nurse.
Nurse and Edmonton-based Sportsnet journalist Mark Spector exchanged words at practice on Friday. Some of Nurse’s comments are circulating in a viral clip.
Here is the exchange between Spector and Nurse, the social media reaction to the exchange, along with direct quotes of what Spector has actually said about Nurse.
Mark Spector’s Exchange With Darnell Nurse
To start the exchange, Spector asks Nurse about playing in a different market than a hockey-crazed Canadian one.
“(What’s the) difference so far playing in a California market from where you grew up in this league?” Spector asked.
Apparently didn’t appreciate Spector saying he has low IQ.
“Next!” 😅😅😅
“You know, with my low IQ I don’t know if I’m able to answer your questions,” Nurse fires back with a smile on his face. “I think your questions are a little above my head.”
You can hear Spector laughing at Nurse’s response.
Nurse played 798 games with the Oilers. The 31-year-old recorded 88 goals and 324 points during his 12-year tenure with Edmonton.
Social Media Reaction To Nurse-Spector Exchange
The reaction to this exchange has been largely one-sided, with many observers siding with Nurse.
“Good for Darnell. @SportsnetSpec Might be the biggest loser in hockey!” Former NHL referee Tim Peel wrote on X.
Ex-Oilers teammate Evander Kane wrote, “Nursey!”
“Sorry, but Nurse sounds like a baby. As per usual, doesn’t accept his piece in his struggles. I like Darnell a lot, but there’s no reason for it. Also, at no point did Spec say he had a low IQ. He & others have said his on-ice hockey IQ wasn’t good. Not the same thing. #Oilers,” One fan wrote on X.
What Did Mark Spector Actually Say About Darnell Nurse When He Was With The Oilers?
The “low IQ” comment that Nurse is likely referring to, comes from a Sportsnet article from June 2026.
“At age 31, hockey sense will go down as Nurse’s great weakness — wherever he ends up,” Spector wrote in an article where he discussed that the Oilers were exploring a Nurse trade. “There are things he does well — he is an above-average skater, he can be intimidating when he chooses to play physically, and he averages about 35 points per season with almost no power-play time.”
“But at age 31, Nurse will never overcome two things: his lack of hockey sense, and the eight-year contract with an annual average value of $9.25 million that he signed in summer 2021.”
Earlier in the same article, Spector quoted one of Nurse’s former coaches.
“He always gave you the feeling that he saw himself more as an offensive defenceman and would make some terrible reads with and without puck at critical times in games,” this anonymous coach said via Spector. “Hockey sense was always a concern for me.”
So while Spector does identify a “lack of hockey sense,” he doesn’t say that Nurse has “low IQ.”
One way or another, this kind of back-and-forth between journalists and players should be more common. It adds spice to what can sometimes be a bland exercise of platitudes and clichés.
Darnell Nurse Takes Jab At Mark Spector