His low IQ (on defence) is what I've been saying on here since about 2018. Unfortunately, barring around a 40-game stretch during the (already short) 2021 season, Nurse's hockey IQ has not improved.I have to vent about Nurse for a second. I’m just tired of it.
He has to f***ing go.
People saying he just needs a better partner.. what? What kind of partner? We’ve given him many different partners with different playstyles.
He did well in the shortened season with Barrie, that’s pretty much it. After the shortened season suddenly the Barrie chemistry was completely gone. Similar thing happened with Ceci, good for a bit and then it all crumbles away.
So maybe he needs defensive dman as a partner, even though Nurse should be more than capable of being a steady dman himself. Well, he got plenty of time with Larsson and that pairing was trash.
Most importantly he was trash with Bouchard. You’ve got a 34/35 year old Ekholm, Nurse has all the tools Ekholm has, yet it is a disaster pairing whenever it’s tried.
Nurse for whatever reason doesn’t get it. Maybe it’s just between the ears, he just doesn’t have the IQ.
I think he needs a change of scenery to snap out of it, get serious about his game. I think the 9.25 went to his head, he thinks he’s better than he is. For his own good and most importantly, the Oilers own good, move this f***ing guy ASAP.
I actually thought he was worse this season than 2021-22 or 2022-23. This season he was +3, after a +26 the year prior, and his goals and points were both down, too.I think overall he was better this year than in the past...
Compliance buyout and re-sign himThe only way Nurse is gone is if they bring back compliance buyouts. Other than that, don't get your hopes up lol, you'll only disappoint yourself
He couldn’t possibly be worse as a LWer lol… time to pull a Brent Burns/reverse ByfuglienHis low IQ (on defence) is what I've been saying on here since about 2018. Unfortunately, barring around a 40-game stretch during the (already short) 2021 season, Nurse's hockey IQ has not improved.
"Move this f***ing guy ASAP" is a nice idea, but in reality his contract is impossible to move without taking a massive retention-Cap-hit, which defeats the Cap-clearing point of getting rid of him.
I actually thought he was worse this season than 2021-22 or 2022-23. This season he was +3, after a +26 the year prior, and his goals and points were both down, too.
I"ve said this before and I know it sounds crazy (and is), but I actually think Nurse would be most beneficial to the team as a forward, not a D-man. His defensive IQ is brutal, but his offensive IQ is pretty high. He's a very good passer within the offensive zone and he sees the plays developing well. (His shot is mostly a muffin, but he's not afraid to use it and he does get the odd goal.)
He would be a great third-line center... if he could take face-offs.
I agree with this, and it was very apparent in the playoffs once Nurse got to play away from Ceci. Also, imo Ceci is a very good player but like you say, it's about how the skillsets fit with each other. Logically Nurse and Ceci should fit since their differences fit each other. Nurse is a better skater and more aggressive and a gambler. Ceci is slower but more conservative. But, it turns out that Nurse plays better with players more like him in terms of skating and puck moving.Not taking the fancy stats into consideration, if Nurse can get a good transportator of the puck on his pairing, then top 40 points for the third time in his career while being a defenseman well into the +20s, I would be OK with that. If he can do that year after year, fantastic.
Everything comes down to finding the perfect partner for Nurse. It isn't a babysitter situation, it's finding the right mix of skills on the pairing and the right combination of players on the team.
Nurse working on his gap control and working on the zone positioning aspect of the game while having a partner naturally gifted at puck retrievals and clean zone exits might make for an enviable second pairing.
Nurse working on his gap control and working on the zone positioning aspect of the game while having a partner naturally gifted atpuck retrievals and clean zone exits might make for an enviable second pairing.
I just don't think Nurse has the processor to improve all that much no matter how hard he works on his game.Yeah... is there any information to suggest that Nurse does anything like that, though?
There's never been any indication that his physical fitness and work ethic are anything but excellent, but in terms of working on his game and addressing specific weaknesses? I really doubt it. Otherwise he wouldn't still be making the same predictable, brain-dead plays he's been making the last ten years.
I just don't think Nurse has the processor to improve all that much no matter how hard he works on his game.
If you can't think the game at the speed it's played, your improvement over time is going to be marginal at best.
I think you're right on this but I also think that he could improve on certain things like gap control (he has the physical skills to close quickly and effectively) and how to play a two-on-one in a way that doesnt involve immediately belly-flopping onto the ice. I dont think those items are intrinsically tied to hockey IQ. I think they can be improved upon just by being willing to sit and watch some tape and then some practice.
has there been any inkling that the team does not consider him a core piece? did knoblauch really demote him or would he still consider him a core piece along with the players?
I wouldn’t blame the coach, the player is the flat out idiotA mean physical beast who's trying to be a finesse player. He forgot his roots. Either he forgot or he got coached to become someone he's not
how is this helpful ?I wouldn’t blame the coach, the player is the flat out idiot
Its about deployment, not the partner. Trotting him out in highly defensive situations with largely third and fourth line checking forwards against another teams best players is not the same as playing top minutes with top forwards. Nurse is unlikely to get 40 points with this deployment. He only gets 40+ points if he and Ekholm switch deployments.Not taking the fancy stats into consideration, if Nurse can get a good transportator of the puck on his pairing, then top 40 points for the third time in his career while being a defenseman well into the +20s, I would be OK with that. If he can do that year after year, fantastic.
Everything comes down to finding the perfect partner for Nurse. It isn't a babysitter situation, it's finding the right mix of skills on the pairing and the right combination of players on the team.
Nurse working on his gap control and working on the zone positioning aspect of the game while having a partner naturally gifted at puck retrievals and clean zone exits might make for an enviable second pairing.
Nurse just helped the team almost win a cup.
He is not an idiot likely a whole lot smarter than many posters.
Because he got paid does not make him selfish it makes him normal.
Having shit partners for his entire career does not make him look good it makes him trust his partner less and then compensates thinking they will error causing him to be out of position.
Nurse is here and is an Oiler so deserves to feel welcome not insulted.
Bunch of Charmin on here and I don't mean because they are soft.
Nurse just helped the team almost win a cup.
He is not an idiot likely a whole lot smarter than many posters.
Because he got paid does not make him selfish it makes him normal.
Having shit partners for his entire career does not make him look good it makes him trust his partner less and then compensates thinking they will error causing him to be out of position.
Nurse is here and is an Oiler so deserves to feel welcome not insulted.
Bunch of Charmin on here and I don't mean because they are soft.