Player Discussion Darnell Nurse is a #1 dman

[Mr Positive]

Being on the ice when other players do good things is not playing fine. I can think of atleast 5 mindblowing bad giveaways he made in those games that Fla almost scored.

Not sure how anyone can say he playing"fine" when we witnessed that play at the end of last game. Just standing there and waiting a cool 3 seconds to allow the forecheck to come then get stripped instantly.... Paying a guy 9mil for that is just insane. The play was that bad. It wasn't unlucky or a bad read. It was a play he created

Most of the time people are doing the reverse though. They jump all over Nurse getting a minus even if he had nothing to do with the bad play.

Also all Dmen makes mistakes. Ekholm made some doozies last game too, and Bouchard has had weak plays that cost us games.

I'm not saying Nurse has played as good as those guys. I'm saying you can't point to one play and say that's everything, or that top dmen don't make those bad plays. Nurse has been good lately. He has had key blocks late in these wins and he even salted the Panthers last game by taking the puck out of the crease and scoring an empty netter. He's had a rough playoffs but during this win streak he's played his best hockey by far imo

 

[Barrsy]

Most of the time people are doing the reverse though. They jump all over Nurse getting a minus even if he had nothing to do with the bad play.

Also all Dmen makes mistakes. Ekholm made some doozies last game too, and Bouchard has had weak plays that cost us games.

I'm not saying Nurse has played as good as those guys. I'm saying you can't point to one play and say that's everything, or that top dmen don't make those bad plays. Nurse has been good lately. He has had key blocks late in these wins and he even salted the Panthers last game by taking the puck out of the crease and scoring an empty netter. He's had a rough playoffs but during this win streak he's played his best hockey by far imo

This. Every Dman f***s up. Quite a bit. What occurs with Nurse is these "fans" stare at Nurse waiting for mistakes, and they inevitably happen, as they do with all players, and they go nuts. Other D make mistakes, , and cause they aren't waiting obsessively for a f'up. it really doesnt register. Bouchard f's up plenty defensively, but you hear nada. The poster you are responding to is exhibit A

 

[bobbythebrain]

This. Every Dman f***s up. Quite a bit. What occurs with Nurse is these "fans" stare at Nurse waiting for mistakes, and they inevitably happen, as they do with all players, and they go nuts. Other D make mistakes, , and cause they aren't waiting obsessively for a f'up. it really doesnt register. Bouchard f's up plenty defensively, but you hear nada. The poster you are responding to is exhibit A

Mistakes and tendencies are 2 different things. I don't blast him for his mistakes.

There's definitely a difference

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Mistakes and tendencies are 2 different things. I don't blast him for his mistakes.

There's definitely a difference

Yup, but it's one game, he just has to do enough. He will block every shot he can, he'll be physical. He just has to do enough.

 

[Ninety7]

Honestly impressive how the team could drag this guy that far

That’s a testament to how good Mcdavid is as a player.

 

[McBaevid]

Worst player this run and it wasn’t even close. I really hope he puts it together

 

[Oilhawks]

Nurse is a #1 Cap Cancer

 

[Oilers88]

I don't like to pile on a player for a bad game or even a bad run, since everyone has tough stretches. However, Nurse's issues have become a recurring theme over the last three years. The guy simply cannot move the puck effectively under pressure. That weakness alone undermines a ton of his other positive attributes. I can't even count how many times the other team got something out of nothing because he iced the puck for no reason, or sent a pass 3 feet off its mark. That's clearly something opponents target.

We need to try and put him in a position to succeed, but I don't really know how to do that. Conventional wisdom is to put him with a puck mover, but he struggled with Bouch whenever they tried that. He also struggled with Ceci, and my recollection is that he and Larsson didn't work well together either. I'm honestly racking my brain trying to remember any partner that brought out the best in him over the years.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He should be the anchor of our 2nd pairing and a 1B LD to Ekholm's 1A, but as it stands he should be penciled in as our 3rd pairing LHD next season. Hopefully he bounces back, if not then he needs to have less responsibilities and maybe visit the PB at times because he was not g9od this season.

 

[sbhnur]

If the oilers are going for another run, they need to buy him out. He's nothing worth but expensive.....

 

[Fishy McScales]

If the oilers are going for another run, they need to buy him out. He's nothing worth but expensive.....

His contract is buyout proof. It will only make things worse.

 

[sbhnur]

His contract is buyout proof. It will only make things worse.

Oh, didn't know, this is bad...

 

[Fishy McScales]

Oh, didn't know, this is bad...

It does save cap for two years but then the hit goes back to what it already is with him on the team, plus about 1.5M dead cap for another six years.

Since we want our window to be longer than two years it's not really a feasible option unfortunately.

 

[sbhnur]

It does save cap for two years but then the hit goes back to what it already is with him on the team, plus about 1.5M dead cap for another six years.

Since we want our window to be longer than two years it's not really a feasible option unfortunately.

Difficult decision to make. He is no answer to any Oilers need, so maybe they still think about it to give McDrai the best possible opportunity before they resign or not.

 

[5Hollywood5]

Nurse is an absolute f***ing disaster

 

[McDaddy]

Jackson will find a way to move him. He has to. Unless him and Connor are still uber besties?

 

[Lannes]

Words really can't express how disappointing Nurse has been. He has to go. Whst he brings can easily be replaced at 1/3 the cost.

The Nurse and Campbell contracts cost this team the Cup. A smart team has an extra nine million in cap space right there.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I really want to know the thought process for a) trusting Nurse-Ceci going into the playoffs after watching them crash and burn in the previous two, and b) going back to Nurse-Ceci at the start of the SCF after Kulak played a big part in Nurse bouncing back vs. Dallas.

Numbers aren't the whole story, but we even saw in the small sample size with Stecher during the regular season: Nurse NEEDS a mobile partner who can get back quickly and reliably move the puck themselves.
Neither Kulak or Broberg (at this point) should be top 4 options, especially on their offside, but both of them were enough to get Nurse looking like his head was on his shoulders at least, and not up his ass. Hell, statistically Nurse-Broberg were by far their best pairing in the finals.



It's disappointing in that it was such an obvious weakness, but they struggled to develop any contingency plan for it until they were literally down to their last margin for error.


So the question is, is Broberg enough? Or do you let him stay on the 3rd pairing and target someone like Carrier or Brodie in UFA?

 

[ManofSteel55]

If the oilers are going for another run, they need to buy him out. He's nothing worth but expensive.....

We really don't want to buy out Nurse. If we buy him out, there are 12 years of cap penalties. According to the CapFriendly buyout calculator, his post-buyout cap hits would be:
Year 1 - -1,216,667 (hey, not bad)
Year 2 - 783.333 (hey, that's good too)
Year 3 - 8,783,333 (ummm...)
Years 4 - 7 - 9,583,333 per year (....barf)
Years 8 - 13 - 1,533,333 (okay, that's not too bad).

Those 4 years of 8.7 - 9.5 M cap hit really make buying out Nurse impossible right now.

I really want to know the thought process for a) trusting Nurse-Ceci going into the playoffs after watching them crash and burn in the previous two, and b) going back to Nurse-Ceci at the start of the SCF after Kulak played a big part in Nurse bouncing back vs. Dallas.

Numbers aren't the whole story, but we even saw in the small sample size with Stecher during the regular season: Nurse NEEDS a mobile partner who can get back quickly and reliably move the puck themselves.
Neither Kulak or Broberg (at this point) should be top 4 options, especially on their offside, but both of them were enough to get Nurse looking like his head was on his shoulders at least, and not up his ass. Hell, statistically Nurse-Broberg were by far their best pairing in the finals.



It's disappointing in that it was such an obvious weakness, but they struggled to develop any contingency plan for it until they were literally down to their last margin for error.


So the question is, is Broberg enough? Or do you let him stay on the 3rd pairing and target someone like Carrier or Brodie in UFA?

Brodie crashed and burned in Toronto. I think he's done. Carrier? I like Carrier.

 

[Lannes]

I really want to know the thought process for a) trusting Nurse-Ceci going into the playoffs after watching them crash and burn in the previous two, and b) going back to Nurse-Ceci at the start of the SCF after Kulak played a big part in Nurse bouncing back vs. Dallas.

Numbers aren't the whole story, but we even saw in the small sample size with Stecher during the regular season: Nurse NEEDS a mobile partner who can get back quickly and reliably move the puck themselves.
Neither Kulak or Broberg (at this point) should be top 4 options, especially on their offside, but both of them were enough to get Nurse looking like his head was on his shoulders at least, and not up his ass. Hell, statistically Nurse-Broberg were by far their best pairing in the finals.



It's disappointing in that it was such an obvious weakness, but they struggled to develop any contingency plan for it until they were literally down to their last margin for error.


So the question is, is Broberg enough? Or do you let him stay on the 3rd pairing and target someone like Carrier or Brodie in UFA?

So basically, Nurse needs someone who can retrieve pucks, cover for his mistakes and move the puck out for him.

What else is left over from Defenseman's job description, then?

I'm not disagreeing with you, I think that's accurate but what a brutal indictment. Both of the team's ability to manage the cap and of the player himself.

 

[Ninety7]

Guy is an absolute fraud and the silver lining to the pain of this run is that people have recognized it.

I’m tired of watching this goof get out muscled and lose puck battles, stand in front of his net doing nothing, deflect the puck into our own net, shoot muffins from the blue line, rim the puck along the boards to nobody, and ice the puck cause he can’t make a 5 foot pass. It’s been like this for years.

Get him off the team.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So basically, Nurse needs someone who can retrieve pucks, cover for his mistakes and move the puck out for him.

What else is left over from Defenseman's job description, then?

I'm not disagreeing with you, I think that's accurate but what a brutal indictment. Both of the team's ability to manage the cap and of the player himself.

Best way I can explain it: Ekholm is by far a better defenceman than Kulak, but I think playing with Kulak does more to bring out the best in Nurse.

Nurse doesn't need an elite partner, but he needs someone that can do a few specific things well, which allows him to be more of a spot picker where he occasionally jumps up into/leads the play, or steps up for a hit at the blueline.


I think the "cover for his mistakes" is the wrong term. Nurse makes mistakes when he tries to do too much, but when he's allowed to play a KISS (keep it simple, stupid) game and just take advantage of obvious situations, he's generally pretty clean.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Brodie crashed and burned in Toronto. I think he's done. Carrier? I like Carrier.

Only reason I suggested Brodie is he should be open to a fairly cheap and short-term deal.
Even with his fall off, he's still close to a Kulak-level defenceman, but one that's fully comfortable on the right side.

He'd just a bridge to Broberg taking the role.

 

[sbhnur]

We really don't want to buy out Nurse. If we buy him out, there are 12 years of cap penalties. According to the CapFriendly buyout calculator, his post-buyout cap hits would be:
Year 1 - -1,216,667 (hey, not bad)
Year 2 - 783.333 (hey, that's good too)
Year 3 - 8,783,333 (ummm...)
Years 4 - 7 - 9,583,333 per year (....barf)
Years 8 - 13 - 1,533,333 (okay, that's not too bad).

Those 4 years of 8.7 - 9.5 M cap hit really make buying out Nurse impossible right now.


Brodie crashed and burned in Toronto. I think he's done. Carrier? I like Carrier.

Oilers need to take some risk. Do the buyout and go for the cup the next 2 years with draisaitl and bouch resigning plus adding solid pieces. This ist the only realistic window, they are so close NOW.

 

[guymez]

Best way I can explain it: Ekholm is by far a better defenceman than Kulak, but I think playing with Kulak does more to bring out the best in Nurse.

Nurse doesn't need an elite partner, but he needs someone that can do a few specific things well, which allows him to be more of a spot picker where he occasionally jumps up into/leads the play, or steps up for a hit at the blueline.


I think the "cover for his mistakes" is the wrong term. Nurse makes mistakes when he tries to do too much, but when he's allowed to play a KISS (keep it simple, stupid) game and just take advantage of obvious situations, he's generally pretty clean.

Thats a little like saying someone is a great dog owner when they arent beating the crap out of their dog.
I think that Nurses biggest problem is that when you look at his body of work as a whole...he is a liability far too often. When you factor in how much of the cap he eats up then its inexcusable.

I mean regardless of who he is paired with he STILL has trouble making the correct read.
His hockey IQ is very low and thats a large part of why he cant sustain even a moderate level of play over a large sample size.

What we are talking about here is finding a partner that can compensate for Nurse's deficiencies the best.
What a thing for a team to have to work this hard just to accomodate a $9.25M player.
Nurse is Edmontons version of PLD.