FEATURE: Nurse helping break barriers for Edmonton's marginalized youth

EDMONTON, AB - Having the platform to empower marginalized communities through sport comes with it the responsibility of using it, leaving behind a legacy that will last long after your hockey career is over.

Darnell Nurse has a keen and personal understanding of this concept.

"As a professional athlete, a Canadian, a father and the son of an immigrant, I truly believe that it is up to me to use my position and platform to help others like me," Nurse said on his selection as a finalist for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row.

"Like standing up for my teammates on the ice, I am here for the kids who need me -- that's what is important to me and that will never change."

The 28-year-old has been a full-time resident of Edmonton for eight years, where he's grown into a top-tier NHL defenceman a vital piece of the Oilers leadership group. Off the ice, Nurse has become a champion for diversity and inclusion in his community as an ambassador for organizations like Free Play for Kids and Right To Play -- two initiatives focused on empowering marginalized youth through the power of sport.

Nurse's connection with Free Play For Kids is only two years in the making, but the defenceman's unwavering commitment to the organization's mission of breaking down the "pay to play" model of sports and the high costs of childcare has already led to thousands of Edmonton's marginalized children getting involved in sports free of charge in a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment.

"It's a partnership that's just over a year old," he said. "It's an organization I think that does so much for the community, not only for the people within the community but newcomers as well. Edmonton has been a place that I've called home for eight years now, and to find an organization that brings sport and play and community to people that really deserve it and need it, I can't be happier to be a part of it."

For the Hamilton, Ont. product, his selection as a finalist for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the second straight year alongside Calgary Flames centre Mikael Backlund and New York Islanders winger Anders Lee is just a by-product of doing the right thing and keeping true to his commitment to stand up for those who need him.

"I think growing up, I've had some great examples from my parents and people in my communities that I grew up in that gave a lot back," Nurse said. "When you give back to the community, I don't think you don't want to talk about it much or put it out there. I think it's something that you do to try and make an impact in other people's lives, not so much for the awards or whatnot that you can achieve."

Free Play for Kids helps break down the barriers of accessibility to sports for marginalized groups like refugees, new Canadian residents and Indigenous youth by combining sport, play and care into an after-school program at Edmonton's most socially-vulnerable schools.

Sonny Sekhon, an organizer with Free Play, spoke to the importance of Darnell using his platform and contributions to raise the belief of the kids for what's possible in life despite their own adversities.

"The Oilers are an institution that everybody knows, whether you've been here for a day or your entire life," he said. "So having that support, it can't be measured. Having someone like Darnell be there for our kids as a player of his caliber... they see someone that looks like them and it allows them to be kids and dream those impossible dreams; that if you just stick to it, it doesn't matter your personal circumstances. You can get there."

To Nurse, who's driven to do all he can to use his platform to provide more opportunities for marginalized youth through sport, it's the smiles and the excitement in every diverse face he meets along the way that makes every commitment to the cause worth every minute, every visit and every dollar donated.

"As someone that's very fortunate to be able to play a sport for a living on a daily basis, it was a really special moment for me, so I look back on that memory and some of the smiles and joy that we had.

"That's why you do it. You don't do it for any other reason."

The defenceman hearkened back to a heartfelt moment with Free Play for Kids at the tail end of 2022 when everything and everyone -- himself, the organizers and kids of different ages, backgrounds and life situations -- came together during a floor hockey game at one of their after-school programs on Edmonton's north side.

"Just the smiles on their faces and the joy that just sport brings," Nurse recalled of the experience. "It was a group of children where not everyone looked the same and came from families that probably didn't have a lot of exposure to hockey, or their parents probably didn't have a lot of exposure to hockey when they were growing up."

The Oilers defenceman spent that afternoon playing hockey, signing autographs, engaging with the kids, and most importantly, serving as an important role model and inspiring presence to a group of kids who could only begin to imagine what's possible for themselves after seeing someone like Nurse use his influence for the betterment of others.

To Sekhon, who met Nurse for the first time that day, observing his on-hand commitment set the stage for what's been a strong partnership over the last two years between the organization and a player who understands the benefit of breaking down barriers and promoting diversity and inclusion through sport.

"The smiles that we saw that day when he came out to play ball hockey, I smiled for the rest of the day as well just because I know that moment will stay with those kids forever," he said.

"I remember when I left, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face because here's a guy that has skin in the game. He wanted to be there. He's signing autographs, he's playing, and the kids were just in awe that this was happening... It just gave these kids that thing to drive towards, so it was awesome."