Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
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Player Discussion Darnell Nurse '24-25 Season Discussion
- Thread starter Bryanbryoil
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MessierII
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- Aug 10, 2011
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If he can ramp up the physicality it starts from there. Get back to his roots which is just being a terror to play against in our zone. Remember him on the world junior team with mcdavid is 2013 or 14 or whatever it was? Get back to that.
TheGingaNinja
Edmonton Ex-Pat who still loves his hometown team.
This was his second decent game. Hopefully a trend. Stetcher seems to be the right guy to bring out Darnell's game, just need it to continue.
Darnell the moment he learns his next RD partner is going to be a bit undersized but has some puck skill
Dude certainly has a type, lol.
Dude certainly has a type, lol.
Darnell with two solid games and a 2 game point streak. A lot of us were saying all he needs is a puckmover on his pair. This way he focuses more on the defensive side and rushing the puck instead of trying to become a first pass defenceman.
It's working very well so far so hopefully he keeps it up!
It's working very well so far so hopefully he keeps it up!
I've panned Darnell as much as anyone, but from how he has looked recently I wouldn't be shocked if he had himself a bit of a redemption season.
No doubt he has heard the criticisms of his contract, and knows the pressure that is on this franchise from the cap and how he is viewed by many because of that. He doesn't want to play himself off this team, or become enemy #1 to the fans again, like last playoffs.
Idk, I wouldn't bet on it. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see him go out and get 15g, 50+pts this year, while being a nasty defender. Does that make him worth 9.25? Idk but it's not something I'm gonna complain too much about if thats what we get out of his cap, especially if he can limit his brainfarts and keep it up in the playoffs.
No doubt he has heard the criticisms of his contract, and knows the pressure that is on this franchise from the cap and how he is viewed by many because of that. He doesn't want to play himself off this team, or become enemy #1 to the fans again, like last playoffs.
Idk, I wouldn't bet on it. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see him go out and get 15g, 50+pts this year, while being a nasty defender. Does that make him worth 9.25? Idk but it's not something I'm gonna complain too much about if thats what we get out of his cap, especially if he can limit his brainfarts and keep it up in the playoffs.
He plays with Stetcher like he played with Bear.
Just brings out a less dumb player for some reason. I don't know why. No clue why Ceci turned him into a moron, but he's looking like a very serviceable top-4 again.
Just brings out a less dumb player for some reason. I don't know why. No clue why Ceci turned him into a moron, but he's looking like a very serviceable top-4 again.
I think when Nurse sees he has a small guy on his pairing, whether he's even consciously aware of it, he subconsciously thinks
"Damn this guy is small, I'm going to have to play more physical and let the small guy do more of the puck skill stuff", which then simplifies his game.
When he sees a bigger D on his pairing he goes
"Well the other guy can hit too, time for me to do more and be more of a rover"
"Damn this guy is small, I'm going to have to play more physical and let the small guy do more of the puck skill stuff", which then simplifies his game.
When he sees a bigger D on his pairing he goes
"Well the other guy can hit too, time for me to do more and be more of a rover"
Behind Enemy Lines
Registered User
60.7% D-zone starts this season (58%; 64% 55.7% the previous three years). This player's deployment heavily tilts to hard goal suppression situations and maintains a double figure goals, 30 point production, career 22:33 avg toi with high PK minutes and close-out play. Prone to bad brainfarts but this guy gets overplayed with heavily weighted d-zone starts and critical situational play. Not absolving his poor decision making.
Top PK minutes tonight and hard 21:26 TOI. Fight. Points in two games. Get Nurse a quality 2RD partner and let's see this team go.
Top PK minutes tonight and hard 21:26 TOI. Fight. Points in two games. Get Nurse a quality 2RD partner and let's see this team go.
harpoon
Registered User
- Dec 23, 2005
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Darnell Nurse vs. Michael McCarron, October 17, 2024 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Nashville Predators | HockeyFights
HockeyFights - Darnell Nurse vs. Michael McCarron, October 17, 2024 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Nashville Predators
That’s not much of a fight if we’re being honest.
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
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It wasn't but going off of memory McCaron kind of jumped him from behind before Nurse could turn around.
Darnell Nurse vs. Michael McCarron, October 17, 2024 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Nashville Predators | HockeyFights
HockeyFights - Darnell Nurse vs. Michael McCarron, October 17, 2024 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Nashville Predatorswww.hockeyfights.com
That’s not much of a fight if we’re being honest.
I don't know if he could have possibly played any worse through the first three games. Even by the lowest of Nurse standards, that was putrid and unacceptable.
Having said that, he's been very good the last two games. When Nurse is playing well you see him up the ice with the puck skating it through the neutral zone. When his feet are moving in all zones, he's very good. When he's standing around trying to make plays - look the f*** out.
Hopefully the first three games was a blip and he legitimately gets it together this year. At this point I don't even need him to be great, if he just generally plays how he has the last two games that will be massive for this team.
Having said that, he's been very good the last two games. When Nurse is playing well you see him up the ice with the puck skating it through the neutral zone. When his feet are moving in all zones, he's very good. When he's standing around trying to make plays - look the f*** out.
Hopefully the first three games was a blip and he legitimately gets it together this year. At this point I don't even need him to be great, if he just generally plays how he has the last two games that will be massive for this team.
And the extra for continuing to punch on the ground when nurse is already tied up by the linesmanMcCarron should have got the instigator but NHL refs.
Weren’t you puking all off season at the thought of stecher playing on the team?
I really think playing with a smaller guy as a partner really refocuses Nurse's game. He realizes he has to do the heavy lifting physically on the pair and it changes the way he plays.
When he has another big body on his pairing I think he figures he's now free to do more in his game which leads to poor results.
oobga
Tier 2 Fan
- Aug 1, 2003
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Just want to point out. Nurse pocket picked in a very embarrassing way on first goal last night. Stopped skating when he could have easily got on top of Marchessault on the 2nd goal.
lol, but that said, Nurse looked better than usual with Stecher so far. And that's what we desperately need. Big test against Dallas next.
lol, but that said, Nurse looked better than usual with Stecher so far. And that's what we desperately need. Big test against Dallas next.
JustNapalmIt
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- May 14, 2017
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His pocket wasnt picked and that was a goal that shouldn't actually be scored from that spot. Arguably he could have skated harder but that also takes you out of position.
Every goal theres a f'up by numerous players. If you are going to focus on that goal as what you view his f'up, be equally critical of ekholm for getting to the man so late & lazily.
But that wont happen cause it doesn't fit the narrative.
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oobga
Tier 2 Fan
- Aug 1, 2003
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I mean, Nurse creates narratives pretty easily on his own. His pocket was picked. Here is the situation he was in, and somehow he ended up being a pylon and didn't even touch the puck.
In our net a few seconds later
There was no position to be out of on the 2nd one. Ek had the guy on the boards, Henrique had the other. The other 2 preds were behind Arvidsson. It was just Nurse and Marchessault in the slot and Nurse stopped skating and did his classic full stretch reach in.
I do hope like everyone else though that he figures out how to not be a liability.
He's still in his prime. Last year was poor, but there is no reason why he can't bounce back to the level of the year before.
Dazed and Confused
Ludicrous speed, GO!
He's not the single guy in charge of the breakout when he plays with Stecher or Kulak or Broberg, or even Barrie and Bear going way back. All of those guys are happy to take the puck and headman it themselves without even glancing at their partner.
Nurse struggles when he has to lead the breakout but isn't allowed to skate it out. Ceci, along with the new guys in Emberson and Dermott, just defaulted to Nurse to lead the attack, and other teams knew to sit on that. Those struggles then started to creep into and poison every part of his game.
Right now he's able just focus on doing what he does well, which is be a physically dominant, but highly reactive (vs. anticipative) defenceman.
One thing I noticed last night is they tagged Stecher out for Kulak, and not the right handed Emberson, at the end of the game. Overall, I think that's the best approach for now, plus I don't mind the idea of Kulak possibly growing more into that role down the line.
syz
[1, 5, 6, 14]
- Jul 13, 2007
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Yea I had the same thoughts on that first goal. Nurse with full possession but as usual he takes too long and just gets stripped, then Stetcher too weak to tie up his man in front who tips it home.
Stetcher was terrible last night by my eye which is extremely concerning. Nurse was okay at best.
JustNapalmIt
Registered User
- May 14, 2017
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You musta been pumped by Ekholms lazy ass play on the 2nd goal. Or Stetchers lazy ass play on Forsberg on the 1st goal.
