Darnell Nurse pumping up for big season on the ice

Elite hockey players are training and playing all year round these days and Hamilton’s Darnell Nurse is no exception.

The Junior star is hoping to make the jump to the NHL this season.

This week he’s working with NHL’ers Mike Cammaleri and Tyler Seguin at the Biosteel training camp at St. Michael’s College to advance his professional hockey career.

He’s grateful for the help.

“Obviously it’s been a dream of mine to play in the NHL, so being surrounded by guys who have done this for years really pushes me getting ready for camp, it’s been great.”

He didn’t make the cut last year for the Edmonton Oilers and Canada’s World Junior team but he’s working hard  to make sure he plays for both this year.

“I think this year I was just going in playing a simpler game, something i’ve been trying to work on all summer. I’m a lot stronger now and faster, so it was good to go put those things on display.”

As team captain of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds he scored 13 goals and 37 assists last year. Then he joined the Oklahoma City Barons in the AHL for the playoffs where he scored 1 assist in 4 games.