Darnell Nurse Appreciation Thread

[Seanaconda]

Eh see how he does in the playoffs. Guy can be worth his contract and he does show it time to time.

Weird how much hate he does get in total tho

 

[Broberg Speed]

MacTavish hasn't been around for a long, long time. Nurse is what he is, no one else is to blame.

I wish the Oilers would have done a complete defenceman revamp in the offseason. My complaints now haven't changed at all from then. And it would have been doable.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

Nurse is certainly a player with a few warts and can be a risk in certain situations. With that contract, I don’t see us being able to trade the player (without incurring some losses), so we need to find some alternate way to manage the situation.
Finding the right partner for Nurse should be a priority. We’ve seen that the likes of Ceci or Deharnais are not the answer.
In the short term…the playoffs…we need to play Stecher with Nurse and stick to good basic play. Coaches need to emphasize the game plan, reading off each other, etc.
This offseason finding a longer term solution (it may be Stecher) will be a priority. So that hopefully, we can end up with an $11 or $12 million legit 2nd pairing, rather than a $9.25 m problem.

 

[K1984]

I think though that perception of Nurse is based entirely on how he is being paid.
He is being paid as a top pairing minute muncher.

Just like how PLD is getting paid like a #1C but isn’t. Both also paid how everyone wishes they were, but aren’t.

 

[Oilhawks]

Just like how PLD is getting paid like a #1C but isn’t. Both also paid how everyone wishes they were, but aren’t.

It's the dream: be paid for what everyone wishes you were, but aren't.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Yes but Ceci is a $3.25M player being asked to be a 2nd pairing (sometimes first pairing) dman.
That is WAY above his pay grade and for that I blame the team.
Nurse is a $9.25M player...the highest paid Dman on the team and yet he cant fulfill the expectations of top pairing Dman.
One player (Ceci) is being inappropriately used which makes him a liability and the other player (Nurse) makes himself a liability.

So I tend to cut Ceci a little slack because he is being misused. I am not excusing his limitations just recognizing that he isnt being used appropriately and that exacerbates his limitations.

Yep. Expectations are definitely important.
Like you expect your 15 year old to not shit their pants, but if your 6 year old does it, it’s easier to forgive, they are only 6. But if the 15 year old is shitting their pants that’s just a whole word of let down.

He’s just not that smart. Sounds mean, but believe me I don’t hate Nurse it just is what it is.

Didn’t take me long to realize this, I turned a blind eye to the dumb mistakes for a year or two. It became clear that it wasn’t a lack of experience, if you keep trying to put a square block in a round hole for years and years you just don’t have the aptitude.

For me it was seeing Nurse fill in for Klefbom on the PP. Nurse would get the puck at the blue line and panic almost every time and make just unnecessary mistakes, just make a simple pass to an open teammate.

Nurse and Ceci are both lacking the same way. They pinch worse than anyone I’ve seen, it just makes no sense, they drift out of position for no discernible reason every game. They just don’t get it, it’s not coaching, it’s not experience.

Anyone see that players poll a month or two ago? Nurse was voted most overrated. The opposition sees it, they win games because of it and wonder why tf this guy is paid like Makar.

By the time he was 24 it was clear what we had imo.

I’m hoping the new GM makes it his mission to cut the fat, clean the slate a little bit and hope to god we can win a Cup.

Nurses freak athleticism covered a lot of flaws. The older he gets the much easier it is to see those flaws. I’ve never liked Nurse as a player but he has had a good season or two. But he is the same player he always was…just not as athletic as he was a few years ago.

 

[guymez]

Yep. Expectations are definitely important.
Like you expect your 15 year old to not shit their pants, but if your 6 year old does it, it’s easier to forgive, they are only 6. But if the 15 year old is shitting their pants that’s just a whole word of let down.

Clealry you're a Dad.

 

[AM]

The whole team has played some of the best hockey the oilers have played in the last 30 years this season. Nurse has played his part. Course, there has been some distinctly poor games. Hopefully their heads are on straight for the playoffs.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Eh see how he does in the playoffs. Guy can be worth his contract and he does show it time to time.

Weird how much hate he does get in total tho

Not really that weird IMO. He hasn't been very good in the playoffs to date and he's had a downright awful couple of months here

He wouldn't get nearly the hate he does if he was appropriately paid, but that's on Holland.

It's not even just defensively; his offense has really been wanting this year. He's got fewer even strength points than Ceci and is tied with Chiarot. Those aren't comparables you want.

Just like how PLD is getting paid like a #1C but isn’t. Both also paid how everyone wishes they were, but aren’t.

Dubois is an excellent comparison. Nurse doesn't have the attitude issues Dubois does but in terms of a comparable, Dubois is a good one. Flashes of brilliance but you're largely left wanting more.

 

[Stoneman89]

Yep. Expectations are definitely important.
Like you expect your 15 year old to not shit their pants, but if your 6 year old does it, it’s easier to forgive, they are only 6. But if the 15 year old is shitting their pants that’s just a whole word of let down.


Nurses freak athleticism covered a lot of flaws. The older he gets the much easier it is to see those flaws. I’ve never liked Nurse as a player but he has had a good season or two. But he is the same player he always was…just not as athletic as he was a few years ago.

Have to admit, I once shit my pants as a teen. Mind you at the time, I had a monstrous defensive lineman chasing after me saying he was going to kill me. Fortunately, he slipped on my shit and never caught me. Some sound advice for those afraid to take Edmonton's LRT.