Player Discussion Darnell Nurse is a #1 dman

[Messrules11]

I played D and completely disagree. You can’t puck watch while their top scorer makes a play in tight. All he had to do was be aggressive on Robertson right away and Robertson would have to either make a hope pass or take a wide route behind the net.

Absolutely, in that frame he should have been right in front of the net. It would have given him the time and space for the right reaction. That’s plain and simple.

 

[Fishy McScales]

Ye, how can less be more?

"More is more!!!"
/Famous Swedish philosopher

Yngwie <3

 

[Barrsy]

Anybody who blames that goal on Nurse is f\clueless. Absolutely clueless.
And you can look at any goal, or virtually any goal, and theres a f'up.
If its a bad play fine. But dont exhibit a total lack of objectivity or knowledge.

 

[Barrsy]

You give special players time and space they make special plays.

Yeah, & if you leave the front of the net like a doofus special players can make average plays like throwing the puck in front and the pucks in the net cause the D in front of the net made a bad decision.
Btw it wasnt even a special play. It was a horrific goal.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Nurse needs to play a simple game tonight and going forward. Jeff Jackson needs to tell him, as an agent your agent got you a phenomenal deal but it doesn't mean you need to be Cale makar.

Take the money and run, don't worry what even Bouchard or heskenin is doing and be the best version of yourself.

Hit bodies, close gaps with your speed and put that puck to the other end of the ice as fast as possible.

The bolded is actually why he's a bad player. He does this all the time and just rims it for no good reason and stares down at the puck while he's doing without any ice awareness

Gregor was defending Nurse saying none of the goals were his fault. Totally wrong imo cuz on one sequence he had time to skate from behind the net and either chip it high off the boards, or to skate hard, or to flip it high down the middle

But all he did was look straight down, wring it up the boards to a Dal dman at the blueline who was sitting there all alone for a cool 2 seconds prior. There wasn't even an Oiler in the vicinity on that side. Oilers are now chasing, get puck back, then Nuge fails to clear and he takes the blame. Not even Nuge had as much time as Nurse did just prior

This play is classic Nurse, so it's waaaaaaaaaaaay more egregious cuz he keeps doing it to the same results

 

[frag2]

The bolded is actually why he's a bad player. He does this all the time and just rims it for no good reason and stares down at the puck while he's doing without any ice awareness

Gregor was defending Nurse saying none of the goals were his fault. Totally wrong imo cuz on one sequence he had time to skate from behind the net and either chip it high off the boards, or to skate hard, or to flip it high down the middle

But all he did was look straight down, wring it up the boards to a Dal dman at the blueline who was sitting there all alone for a cool 2 seconds prior. There wasn't even an Oiler in the vicinity on that side. Oilers are now chasing, get puck back, then Nuge fails to clear and he takes the blame. Not even Nuge had as much time as Nurse did just prior

This play is classic Nurse, so it's waaaaaaaaaaaay more egregious cuz he keeps doing it to the same results

Gregor sure loves to champion horrible players

Ceci
Skinner
Nurse

 

[Yuke]

Not giving fault to any Oiler for Robertson's goal. Giving full credit to Robertson. Little fake to go around the net and he gets Skinner to bite and he then finds a tiny hole.

 

[syz]

Not giving fault to any Oiler for Robertson's goal. Giving full credit to Robertson. Little fake to go around the net and he gets Skinner to bite and he then finds a tiny hole.

Funny how often this works on Skinner. Just fake going wide, he'll open up somewhere.

 

[Yuke]

Funny how often this works on Skinner. Just fake going wide, he'll open up somewhere.

Funny how Oiler fans cannot give credit where credit is due. If McD scored that goal you be bragging how good he is.

 

[Markham30]

Funny how Oiler fans cannot give credit where credit is due. If McD scored that goal you be bragging how good he is.

Lol let’s be honest, that was a terrible f***ing goal to give up with 7 minutes left in the western conference finals. Literally nothing you can do to justify letting that in, in such a big moment. Can’t believe he’s starting again tonight.

 

[FunkyChicken]

Nurse's butt giveth, and Nurse's butt taketh away.

 

[bobbythebrain]

He actually did nothing there but it's amazing how pucks just seem to find him for bank goals. At some point you have to admit there's something more to it than bad luck

 

[AM]

Hopefully a better nurse is being forged in the playoffs in front if our eyes.

 

[Yuke]

Lol let’s be honest, that was a terrible f***ing goal to give up with 7 minutes left in the western conference finals. Literally nothing you can do to justify letting that in, in such a big moment. Can’t believe he’s starting again tonight.

Disagree. Reports have it Robertson practiced that play many times.
He deked Skinner out, faked going around and he knew where goalies leave that hole open when they turn to see if there is a wrap around. Awesome play by Robertson.

 

[Oilhawks]

Much much better tonight. Need to see this Darnell from here on out

 

[Oilers]

Much much better tonight. Need to see this Darnell from here on out

I just hope for a steady Nurse. Simple for the love of everything that is good, just a simple game from Darnell and that's enough.

 

[Barrsy]

Disagree. Reports have it Robertson practiced that play many times.
He deked Skinner out, faked going around and he knew where goalies leave that hole open when they turn to see if there is a wrap around. Awesome play by Robertson.

It was an awful f'ing goal.

 

[CornKicker]

Much much better tonight. Need to see this Darnell from here on out

12 hits and playing nasty is what nurse has to be, he played pissed off and im here for it. hopefully we get up by 4 in game 5 and he gets to punch jamie benns face in

 

[Jay Harris]

When Nurse gets back to playing to his strengths ... Calm, steady, rough and bit nasty he is very effective.
He needs to stay true to who he is ... His style is NOT Makar or Bouchard as he simply doesn't have the offensive skills they do.
He is more like Ekholm or Doughty ... And if the Oil had either another Ekholm or a Doughty (younger version) that would be great.
Do what you do and do it well and consistently.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

When Nurse gets back to playing to his strengths ... Calm, steady, rough and bit nasty he is very effective.
He needs to stay true to who he is ... His style is NOT Makar or Bouchard as he simply doesn't have the offensive skills they do.
He is more like Ekholm or Doughty ... And if the Oil had either another Ekholm or a Doughty (younger version) that would be great.
Do what you do and do it well and consistently.

Yes. Once Nurse simplifies his game, he's fine. He is also a great skater and a good puck mover, and can jump into an offensive mode when the time is right. He is just not the dynamic player that Ekholm is.....Ekholm regularly makes creative players both in his own zone and in the offensive zone. Nurse not so much....

 

[Gordy Elbows]

When Nurse gets back to playing to his strengths ... Calm, steady, rough and bit nasty he is very effective.
He needs to stay true to who he is ... His style is NOT Makar or Bouchard as he simply doesn't have the offensive skills they do.
He is more like Ekholm or Doughty ... And if the Oil had either another Ekholm or a Doughty (younger version) that would be great.
Do what you do and do it well and consistently.

Game 4 we saw Nurse really make an effort to play (and limit himself) to his strengths. For me, this was the first time he did that in the playoffs.
My concern is that, now that he’s rediscovered a good game, he gets amnesia and returns to his “free rolling” ways after.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Disagree. Reports have it Robertson practiced that play many times.
He deked Skinner out, faked going around and he knew where goalies leave that hole open when they turn to see if there is a wrap around. Awesome play by Robertson.

Hrudey does an excellent job breaking down the play. He illustrates the technical breakdown Skinner has that creates daylight for a player behind the goal line:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1795976306284183978

Good camera angle here that also shows how Nurse is positioned to force Robertson into low quality ice. He does his job after two previous breakdowns by teammates getting the shooter into a low danger area. Skinner unfortunately muffs the play. Strudwick who played the position at NHL level for a decade reinforced his thought that Nurse played this situation fine.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

Game 4 we saw Nurse really make an effort to play (and limit himself) to his strengths. For me, this was the first time he did that in the playoffs.
My concern is that, now that he’s rediscovered a good game, he gets amnesia and returns to his “free rolling” ways after.

Knobby is keeping his players accountable. Nurse got called out and was mad, then played a good game. McLeod sat out then came back and had a great game (being on the wing helps). With the Oilers it seems like they get mental blocks on to how to play to win. If they keep this up they take the series. At this stage it is a team's mental will, leadership, and sticking to your game plan.

 

[bobbythebrain]

It was an awful f'ing goal.

Lol. But when McD does it, is at an awful goal too?

 

[Stoneman89]

Game 4 we saw Nurse really make an effort to play (and limit himself) to his strengths. For me, this was the first time he did that in the playoffs.
My concern is that, now that he’s rediscovered a good game, he gets amnesia and returns to his “free rolling” ways after.

For sure. He needs to stop thinking he has to play like a 9 million dollar player and just play like a regular guy. The contract is what it is, and he can never play to it, so just has to be himself. Had an excellent game last night.