Player Discussion Darnell Nurse is a #1 dman

[CycloneSweep]

Objectively, Nurse is a HIGH event defender who plays a very risky style because he can often cover due to his athleticism. Bad pinches aren't bad all the time cause he can usually easily get back to cover. This however can lead to times where his play directly leads to incredible chances against that can lead to goals. I do wish he grows and "smartens up a bit" in his play as that will allow him to play longer (as his athletic ability slows, his game will crater if not).

He is our best defender by a mile but honestly I think he is a lower end #1 defender. I am glad we have him, just wish he was much cheaper.

All this said, if we had a legit second pair so he didn't have to play half a game, I think he would look better.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I actually want to see him prioritize more towards his defense. Shot suppression and reduction in GA.

He's always jumping into the play and always been high event in that regard, it's understandable his xG would look good. I'm curious to see what the coaching staff will do, and if they'll change up the strategy at some point.

He isn't worth 9.25M. It's to keep McDavid and the gang happy. The hope is to get him to re-sign a long term extension and retire as an Oiler. I get it. I'm already past the point talking about Darnell's contract.

No one ever said he’s worth his contract. As for how he plays, that’s his whole game. He got drafted top 10 because of his playstyle. Plus, who else scores more 5v5 than him on our defence? Bouchard eventually. What we need is more help for him on the Left Side.

At least look at the expected goals against/60 or something

Kulak-Bouchard are 34th

Nurse Ceci 36th

Well at least Nurse hasn’t fallen over twice in an ultimate Fail style

 

[McTonyBrar]

A lot of people don't discern how to evaluate hockey. Darnell Nurse will be seen to be involved with some mistakes in a game because he is innately involved in so many plays and is so active and covers so much ground.

The wrong deduction from this is that Nurse is around miscues. For a D hockey is a complex rock paper scissors game as opponents try to beat you. So that being a 1D on any club involves a lot of times you are beat.

Its the wrong way to look at it. The correct way to analyze D is how many stops they make in a game. How often do they stop rushes, seal opponents from puck, Take pucks away etc. D should be looked at in terms of their positive contributions and watching to see where they are made.

In contrast lazy viewing is just focusing on D instances where they get beat or give up a chance. Which happens to all D and which happened a lot even to Bobby Orr when he was playing the Canadiens.

Darnell is a sound 1D and we are lucky to have him. If we ever win it all he'll be the most important player on the ice.

Well said

 

[Mr Kot]

He actually made pretty huge strides last year in terms of shot suppression specifically due to an spike in entry denials (also flipping to Ceci instead of Barrie as a primary partner helped) and that was while playing against the opposing team's best players. I don't think that 98th percentile defense for 2021-22 is accurate btw, nor do I think that 3rd percentile in 2020-21 is accurate, a lot of that has to do with partners. His actual level is probs a good above average dman in the league defensively who can drive offense/transition. His in zone positioning could still use some work but he's our best defensive dman, lets not kid ourselves.
View attachment 598614

me like this chart

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Yeah, I dont even have a clue who you are/were or that you had an strange obsession with Nurse. I just thought it comical that you thought our GM signed Nurse cause he was a buddy with a few players. It kinda gives one an appreciation of other thoughts.

You have this obsession responding to my posts regarding Nurse's contract lol

Which is strange cause I hardly bring up Nurse in any conversation.

 

[Harry Curry]

He is our best defender by a mile but honestly I think he is a lower end #1 defender. I am glad we have him, just wish he was much cheaper.

Bingo.

On the plus side I think the contract will age relatively well.

While Nurse got hurt last year that has been exceedingly rare in his career. He played every game the team played for four seasons in a row before that. The hip flexor injury should not be a chronic concern. Had it required surgery that is a different story. Nurse should be able to play at a level close to where he is at for most of the contract.

Ideally the Oilers develop/acquire a RD as their true #1. Nurse as the junior partner on a top pairing could be a beast when slotted properly.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Bingo.

On the plus side I think the contract will age relatively well.

While Nurse got hurt last year that has been exceedingly rare in his career. He played every game the team played for four seasons in a row before that. The hip flexor injury should not be a chronic concern. Had it required surgery that is a different story. Nurse should be able to play at a level close to where he is at for most of the contract.

Ideally the Oilers develop/acquire a RD as their true #1. Nurse as the junior partner on a top pairing could be a beast when slotted properly.

Issue with Nurse is if his physical ability is hindered he doesn’t have the ability to really compensate so any injury to him would be a lot more impactful than other players. Thankfully like you said impactful injuries haven’t happened with him.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Objectively, Nurse is a HIGH event defender who plays a very risky style because he can often cover due to his athleticism. Bad pinches aren't bad all the time cause he can usually easily get back to cover. This however can lead to times where his play directly leads to incredible chances against that can lead to goals. I do wish he grows and "smartens up a bit" in his play as that will allow him to play longer (as his athletic ability slows, his game will crater if not).

He is our best defender by a mile but honestly I think he is a lower end #1 defender. I am glad we have him, just wish he was much cheaper.

All this said, if we had a legit second pair so he didn't have to play half a game, I think he would look better.

well put.

 

[ManofSteel55]

We definitely need to trade for Soucy.

He sure would shore up our bottom pair. j/k, he would be a good 2nd pair guy for us and would certainly take some of the load off. I like Soucy. I don't like that Seattle appears to want the moon for him.

We have blueline issues. Nurse isn't the problem. Having one top pair and two bottom pairs is the problem, so Soucy would help.

I
It seems that it is more based on individual plays that stand out as frustrating

I do wonder if he falls into a hole with fans in that many assume anything good about his outcomes must be due to playing with McDavid and Draisaitl, fair or not

I think he falls into a hole where people just won't change their narrative on him. He had major holes in his game when he was younger. Now he has minor holes in his game, but some act like he still has major ones.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Bingo.

On the plus side I think the contract will age relatively well.

While Nurse got hurt last year that has been exceedingly rare in his career. He played every game the team played for four seasons in a row before that. The hip flexor injury should not be a chronic concern. Had it required surgery that is a different story. Nurse should be able to play at a level close to where he is at for most of the contract.

Ideally the Oilers develop/acquire a RD as their true #1. Nurse as the junior partner on a top pairing could be a beast when slotted properly.

Issue with Nurse is if his physical ability is hindered he doesn’t have the ability to really compensate so any injury to him would be a lot more impactful than other players. Thankfully like you said impactful injuries haven’t happened with him.

Well last year he was Zoolander. He couldn't turn left.

Hard to be a defender taking on the hard matchups when you can't turn left.

 

[Nostradumbass]

He's a scholar?? Have you ever heard him interview?

He won scholastic player of the year in the OHL

 

[T-Funk]

He won scholastic player of the year in the OHL

"Nurse carried an 85 percent average while taking six Grade 12 university prep courses including International Business, Canadian Geographic World Issues, Mathematics – Data Management, Mathematics – Advanced Functions, Religion – Catholic Social Justice, and Economics – Analyzing Current Economic Issues."

ehhhhhhhh

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

He actually made pretty huge strides last year in terms of shot suppression specifically due to an spike in entry denials (also flipping to Ceci instead of Barrie as a primary partner helped) and that was while playing against the opposing team's best players. I don't think that 98th percentile defense for 2021-22 is accurate btw, nor do I think that 3rd percentile in 2020-21 is accurate, a lot of that has to do with partners. His actual level is probs a good above average dman in the league defensively who can drive offense/transition. His in zone positioning could still use some work but he's our best defensive dman, lets not kid ourselves.
View attachment 598614

Quite unusual to have a top pairing d-man that excels at 5 on 5, but is unable to be a positive difference maker on either of the special teams.

 

[McDNicks17]

Agree Nurse is a number 1 but not by this metric where Makar Toews are not even in the top 20 of a very early sample size.

There must be an ice time minimum.

They'd be one of the better pairings on there, but they've only played 49 minutes together.

 

[Stoneman89]

He won scholastic player of the year in the OHL

Forgot about that. He just doesn't come off that way when he interviews. Must be booksmart.

 

[Fourier]

Forgot about that. He just doesn't come off that way when he interviews. Must be booksmart.

I know some people who are brilliant but if they were ever interviewed you would think they were illiterate.

 

[fancy dan]

would do himself a favour if he dedicated a large chunk of his summer to handling and holding the puck.

 

[Kerberos]

"Nurse carried an 85 percent average while taking six Grade 12 university prep courses including International Business, Canadian Geographic World Issues, Mathematics – Data Management, Mathematics – Advanced Functions, Religion – Catholic Social Justice, and Economics – Analyzing Current Economic Issues."

ehhhhhhhh

Better than the vast majority of severely under and uneducated players in the NHL. What's your point?

 

[Cloned]

He sure would shore up our bottom pair. j/k, he would be a good 2nd pair guy for us and would certainly take some of the load off. I like Soucy. I don't like that Seattle appears to want the moon for him.

We have blueline issues. Nurse isn't the problem. Having one top pair and two bottom pairs is the problem, so Soucy would help.


I think he falls into a hole where people just won't change their narrative on him. He had major holes in his game when he was younger. Now he has minor holes in his game, but some act like he still has major ones.

Nurse - Soucy - Kulak would be very serviceable until the deadline.

 

[T-Funk]

Better than the vast majority of severely under and uneducated players in the NHL. What's your point?

I guess it would be that he is not a "scholar" and the award is basically who can tread water juggling hockey and high school somewhat competently. It can't really predict his (or any player's) hockey IQ / decision-making in the NHL even though it is commonly brought up in defense of his bad reads, and doesn't really look all that complimentary anyways.

To be more on topic to the thread, he is a flawed, constantly frustrating, overpaid.... #1 dman.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Forgot about that. He just doesn't come off that way when he interviews. Must be booksmart.

So being good at pre game and post game interviews make you smart?

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

He sure would shore up our bottom pair. j/k, he would be a good 2nd pair guy for us and would certainly take some of the load off. I like Soucy. I don't like that Seattle appears to want the moon for him.

We have blueline issues. Nurse isn't the problem. Having one top pair and two bottom pairs is the problem, so Soucy would help.

Soucy is bottom pairing for the Kraken, so "a good 2nd pair guy" isn't a given.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Soucy is bottom pairing for the Kraken, so "a good 2nd pair guy" isn't a given.

If he can't play 2nd pair for us then we don't need him. We have 4 guys best suited to the bottom pair already. I suspect locking up Kulak long term made the need for Soucey nonexistent.

I guess it would be that he is not a "scholar" and the award is basically who can tread water juggling hockey and high school somewhat competently. It can't really predict his (or any player's) hockey IQ / decision-making in the NHL even though it is commonly brought up in defense of his bad reads, and doesn't really look all that complimentary anyways.

To be more on topic to the thread, he is a flawed, constantly frustrating, overpaid.... #1 dman.

His flaws are overstated. He commits on the rush too often, but he is quick enough to get back and cover a lot of the time. It looks bad and dangerous but when he recovers it no longer matters if he gets caught up ice.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Forgot about that. He just doesn't come off that way when he interviews. Must be booksmart.

Interviews mean nothing when referencing intelligence. Being a strong orator is not a sign of intelligence at all.

 

[McDNicks17]

Agree Nurse is a number 1 but not by this metric where Makar Toews are not even in the top 20 of a very early sample size.