About a week after the season ended, he got the invitation he had been waiting for and started skating with fellow Team Canada teammates Connor McDavid and Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo) in Toronto.
"It was good to have a couple guys to get on the ice with and help push the pace because it's crazy to have a three week break after the season and then get right back into playing at a really high level," the six-foot-four, 220 pound blueliner said. "Normally, I'll take a couple weeks off and within a month I'd be in the gym and skating again, but it's good to be here. Nothing beats playing, especially at a high level like this and especially for Team Canada because you know everyone is gunning for you.
He continued, "You're not only playing some of the best players in the world, but you also know you're going to get their very best and there's a lot of pride on the line for everyone and the compete level is really high. It just forces to you be better and raise the level of your game too."
Nurse is also trying to learn from his new teammates and take in the cultural experience that competing in an international tournament like this allows.
"You learn different things from different people and it's great to be able to have new people around you to learn from and see if maybe I could take this thing or that thing that they do in practice or in a game or how they prepare and see if it's something that would help me too," he explained.
"As a whole, this has been a great experience. The fans have been great and I love being able to experience a different culture too. This is my first time in Denmark and I've enjoyed it a lot."
Canada's head coach Bill Peters has enjoyed having Nurse on his blueline.
"Our whole back end is filled with big, mobile guys who can move the puck and are physical and Darnell is real hard to play against," he said. "He gives us a physical presence back there and keeps his game simple and gets the puck up to his forwards. He's done a good job for us."
Playing on the third defensive pair with Ryan Murray (Columbus), Nurse averaged 15 minutes a game and earned one assist in 10 games playing mostly five-on-five.
"In Edmonton, I'm relied upon a little bit more than here," Nurse explained. "I just have to work hard and do what I can to help my teammates out and be a factor in the game. When I get those opportunities to make a big play or block a shot or get the puck up the ice quickly, I have to be in a position to make the most of them."
This season with the Oilers, the former Top 10 draft selection scored six goals and added 20 assists for 26 points in 82 games for his best offensive season yet, but he's not satisfied.
"I want to pick up my offensive game," he said matter-of-factly. "I know I've got it in me and I want to become more of a two-way threat and contribute more offensively. I used to have some pretty good numbers and, now, I just have to work on doing it again at a higher level where points are harder to come by."
