The 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
Player Discussion Darnell Nurse is a #1 dman
- Thread starter PeteEakins
- Start date
The Panther
Registered User
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.
"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.
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He couldn’t possibly be worse as a LWer lol… time to pull a Brent Burns/reverse Byfuglien
SwedishFire
Registered User
- Mar 3, 2011
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If he rwally is a #1 Dman, then he would be a high demand on the trademarket.
And yes, I would do a reverse Byfuglien. He could be a high energy, forechecking forward. Oilers should seriously consider this.
Nuge McDavid Hyman
Skinner Leon Arvidsson
Nurse Henrique Kane/Lavoie
Janmark Holloway Brown
Ekholm Bouch
Broberg ???
Kulak Stecher
And yes, I would do a reverse Byfuglien. He could be a high energy, forechecking forward. Oilers should seriously consider this.
Nuge McDavid Hyman
Skinner Leon Arvidsson
Nurse Henrique Kane/Lavoie
Janmark Holloway Brown
Ekholm Bouch
Broberg ???
Kulak Stecher
McBaevid
Lottery Dynasty
i hate this anchor of a dman. That contract was terrible when it was signed and now it’s a top 3 worst contract in the NHL. That 9.25 could get us 2 top 4 dmen who are both better than nurse. really hope this goof figures it out this offseason somehow or I’m scared he’s gonna cost this team a cup in this window they have right now
The hope is he has a half decent season and you can unload him prior to the 2025/26 season. There's no way you can keep him around when Bouch and Drai's extensions kick in without gutting the rest of the roster.
SwedishFire
Registered User
- Mar 3, 2011
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Im really on the idea of making Nurse a 4th line nasty grinder who can skate. He could replace McLeods role.
A 4th line of Nurse Hamblin Kane
Would be something.
the 16 million dollar grinderline.
But i would say line 3.a and line 3.b
Janmark Hen-Q Brown as a defensive line, and Nurse Hamblin Kane as a mayhem line.
A 4th line of Nurse Hamblin Kane
Would be something.
the 16 million dollar grinderline.
But i would say line 3.a and line 3.b
Janmark Hen-Q Brown as a defensive line, and Nurse Hamblin Kane as a mayhem line.
Broberg Speed
Registered User
- Oct 23, 2020
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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.
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.
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Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
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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.
I still think it should be a right shot player but I'd be happy with Broberg there. Both him and Kulak are better suited to the left imo
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.
Fishy McScales
Registered User
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.
I'd have those as IQ plays because in both instances you have to make a read before you make the play.
For both plays within about a millisecond you have to process where the attacker (or attackers) are on the ice, which way they shoot, how much back pressure the back checking forward is providing, where your D partner is, and how close you are to your own net and then immediately make the right play while still in position to do so.
I think he flops on 2 on 1's because he can't make these reads in time, so laying down is the default "hope this works" option which looks a lot better than doing nothing. Similarly on his shit gaps, if he can't make the reads in time then before he knows it he's probably too deep and the lane for the attacker to make a play is already there.
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A 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
TheNumber4
Registered User
- Nov 11, 2011
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Another offseason passes, a boatload of UFA defenceman signed around the League, and still his 9.25M looks like as much as an overpay today as it did when it was signed.
BoldNewLettuce
Esquire
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?
Knoblauch was the first coach to actually reduce his minutes and even park him for stretches when he has been in disaster mode.
I don't think that the view of him as a core piece has changed too much, but it is refreshing that we have a coach that recognizes when he sucks and adjusts accordingly.
I wouldn’t blame the coach, the player is the flat out idiot
Broberg Speed
Registered User
- Oct 23, 2020
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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.
And Ceci is just not good enough to be on a shutdown pairing if his partner is not up to the task. He is not good enough to cover off for the mistakes. Largely the story of his career. When playing with good defensive partners, he did quite well. When paired with bad defensive partners it all fell apart. He does not need baby sitting, but he also cannot babysit. Middle of the road defensive D man. That just does not work with Nurse with this deployment.
I liked the Ekholm Ceci pairing that was done towards the end for the PK. I'd really love to see if they could co-exist as a shutdown pair, move Nurse with bouchard and take away the tough defensive assignments and give him more offensively gifted players. Play to his strengths, and arguably Ceci's as well. Something. Anything but that Nurse-Ceci pairing again.
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.
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.
Characterizing Nurse’s play this playoffs as “helping” the team almost win a Cup certainly is a unique opinion.
Because it’s essentially impossible to defend Nurse’s play this playoff with actual facts, I’m not surprised that you chose to default to insults and flaming.
How do you watch the oilers and legitimately come to this conclusion?
The fact that people watch almost every single oilers game and come to the conclusion that he’s only bad because of his partners is just crazy.
I guess it’s out of his own control to be able to make a 10 foot pass. Or break up a cycle.
