San Jose has maxed out their retentions (3) but another team could retain.
Confirmed with Link: [EDM/SJS] Cody Ceci & EDM 3rd '25 <--> Ty Emberson
- Thread starter Soli
- Start date
-
HF Sportsbook has been reset for the new season - Click here to play.
oobga
Tier 2 Fan
- Aug 1, 2003
- 24,938
- 21,230
I do think Bouch is a guy that shows how smart truely elite players still find a way. I don't think anyone could have ruined Makar either. These guys just keep improving and understanding the game better as they go without needing that much much outside influence, and they force the teams to play them if they have any interest in winning.
The more fringe guys like Jesse, Broberg, Holloway, etc that are more cases of physical attributes far exceeding their brains are definitely a lot harder to figure out. Guess when these guys don't end up stars (yeah, I'm making bold predictions about 2 of those guys
), you never can know if some different development path would have made them better. Sucks how it went with those guys. Lesson IMO is draft better in the first place!
Behind Enemy Lines
Registered User
Bouchard is awesome but hasn't been without development glitches and growth in own zone defending, identifying risk and reaction, urgency at times in decision making. He also has had exceptional partners to foster confidence and his games growth with Duncan Keith and Ekholm.I do think Bouch is a guy that shows how smart truely elite players still find a way. I don't think anyone could have ruined Makar either. These guys just keep improving and understanding the game better as they go without needing that much much outside influence, and they force the teams to play them if they have any interest in winning.
The more fringe guys like Jesse, Broberg, Holloway, etc that are more cases of physical attributes far exceeding their brains are definitely a lot harder to figure out. Guess when these guys don't end up stars (yeah, I'm making bold predictions about 2 of those guys
Defense is the hardest position and longest development to lock in as a stable NHL defenseman. Broberg hasn't had that stable partner, position or ice-time. He didn't do himself any favours either with a cautious, tentative game to mitigate mistakes while stifling his best assets (skating, puck transportation, confidence to join the rush, aggressive gap defending vs passive).
Onboarding as a depth winger is the easiest position in the game. So separating Puljujarvi whose processor wasn't good enough nor his maturity and readiness for North American life and hockey. Jury is out on Holloway's processor as it's as much his aggressive style that leads him into harm's way and growth of experience against apex speed and competition. With all young players not named Makar or McDavid, young players need to know they will get that next shift and opportunity versus press box when mistakes inevitably happen. This was a critical mantra Paul Coffey passed on basically day 1 with the d-corp group.
For the record, we saw an entirely different Broberg after 25 minute all situational play in Bakersfield. Enough so for the Oilers data driven coaching staff to drop him into Final 4 Stanley Cup competition where he rewarded their trust.
Notably two greenhorn d-men Bouchard and Broberg had a strong 10+ game run together as partners pre-Ekholm trade.
Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
This is true, but it’s also true that he’s spent a significant majority of his time with Cody Ceci since he signed that contract. Nurse might surprise us with someone new.
I like Cody Ceci. But he was always miscast as a top 4 D-man here. He did his best, but he was always in over his head as a genuine top 4 dman once the chips were down.
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
- 87,608
- 37,848
Let's hope so, I'd love to be wrong and have Nurse play like a #3D.
Last season was the only time he hasn’t played like a top pair dman in the last 4 or 5 seasons. The Nurse hate is hyperbolic.
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
- 87,608
- 37,848
Played "like" a top pairing d-man or was played in that role? We need him to be our clear cut 3rd best defenseman which isn't asking much considering his pay grade. He's been ass in our last 3 playoffs when it matters most. It'd be nice if that changed this season.
He played in that role and excelled for multiple seasons in a row.
You dont just accidentally end up on the positive side more often than not when playing the 25-26 minutes a game he was.
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
- 87,608
- 37,848
Not in the playoffs he didn't. He has been overrated for some time and then last season really took a giant shit. We need him to bounce back in a big way.
McFlyingV
Registered User
I still want to see a full season of Nurse with a puck moving D. Hopefully Emberson or Stetcher can provide that and then obviously I'd like to add at the TDL.
Nurse was just always going to struggle with Ceci as a partner. Nurse himself isn't an excellent puck mover, but he is a great skater who defends well off the rush. His problems start when he gets hemmed in over and over again, and with a partner like Ceci who was worst on the team in puck retrieval and controlled zone exit stats, it just put Darnell in a hole he couldn't climb out of. Get him a mobile puck mover and I think he will look a hell of a lot better.
Nurse was just always going to struggle with Ceci as a partner. Nurse himself isn't an excellent puck mover, but he is a great skater who defends well off the rush. His problems start when he gets hemmed in over and over again, and with a partner like Ceci who was worst on the team in puck retrieval and controlled zone exit stats, it just put Darnell in a hole he couldn't climb out of. Get him a mobile puck mover and I think he will look a hell of a lot better.
Against the Avs, the year he had an injury that would keep most of HFOil laying in the bed 24 hours a day?
And this year, he was unplayable with Ceci as his partner.
Once he got someone who could actually retrieve a puck instead of losing every race and battle for pucks, his stats flipped.
Bryanbryoil
Pray For Ukraine
- Sep 13, 2004
- 87,608
- 37,848
Played like one and got the results of one.
Go back and read the reviews of Nurse against Winnipeg from that playoff series. People on this forum were saying he was our best player.
As I said, it’s hyperbolic. I’ll add revisionist too.
AddyTheWrath
Registered User
His analytics don't really suggest he's good at entering or exiting the zone, which is Nurse's biggest weakness.
Emberson would be a better fit with Kulak.
I think you probably try Stecher with Nurse and try to recreate some Barrie/Nurse magic. Or you sign Schultz to do that.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 34,521
- 15,101
Tom Brady
Legend of all Legends!
- Feb 13, 2010
- 16,337
- 2,234
Excuses after excuses with this guy.
Nurse was injury free this year and he played the worst hockey of his Oiler career during the playoffs.
He always plays the worst in the postseason, he is the anti clutch.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 34,521
- 15,101
Yup.
Its the same old stuff. Its all about excuses.
How about Nurse actually carrying the mail for a change.
Making his partner better for a change instead of the other way around.
You know...the kind of stuff we should be expecting from a $9.25M player.
Hey man haven’t u heard. He played 60 minutes in a playoff series we got swept in 4 years ago.
The irony is that we’re in this situation largely because of his gargantuan contract.
Funny how the same people who have such strong feelings about more cap space are the same ones that overlook the biggest offender and waste of it on our team.
bellagiobob
Registered User
- Jul 27, 2006
- 24,481
- 60,886
We all can see it, have complained about it for years, but have come to accept the fact that he’s not going anywhere.
FunkyChicken
Registered User
- Jul 24, 2003
- 2,490
- 1,035
Clearly, not everyone can see it. It actually baffles me how people who watch every single minute of every single game can come to the conclusion that he’s only been bad because of his partner.
Sure, it doesn’t help he’s paired with Ceci. But give me a break. There’s no chance you actually watch him bomb a five foot pass and ice the puck, blow his coverage or lose a board battle, lose a puck race in the corner, or screen his goalie and think to yourself “This is his partners fault!”
Lazy narrative.
