Line Combos: Defensive Pairings

[McVirginOil]

Trouba by every metric of the book is better than Nurse and miles ahead of Ristolainen. Heck he got nearly as many points as Nurse in 27 less games.

Risto only feasts off the PP, Nurse is good at moving the puck up and a great skater but has no idea what to do in the o-zone other than ring the puck around the boards or miss a slapshot.

The amount of homer bias is unbelievable

 

[BarDownBobo]

Nurse - Sekera is a horrible pairing IMO.

Nurse needs someone who is very positionally sound. Sekera is too much of a rover himself and that pairing would give up the most ridiculous goals.

This is one of my problems with Nurse personally. He's not an offensive defenseman by any means, but he needs be partnered with someone who is a rock defensively to be successful. So what exactly does that make him and how does that project for future development?

I've seen a lot of people who want to see him top pair or top four next year, but I think for the teams success and for him to develop the best he's gotta be on the bottom pair and show that he can anchor that pair before moving up in the lineup.

 

[Joey Moss]

This is one of my problems with Nurse personally. He's not an offensive defenseman by any means, but he needs be partnered with someone who is a rock defensively to be successful. So what exactly does that make him and how does that project for future development?

I've seen a lot of people who want to see him top pair or top four next year, but I think for the teams success and for him to develop the best he's gotta be on the bottom pair and show that he can anchor that pair before moving up in the lineup.

I don't think that is true at all.

 

[Faelko]

I think Faulk is coming in and Sekera is going out (not necessarily for each other).

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Faulk
Russell-Benning
X-some Auvitu level UFA signing.

I know lots of people want nothing to do with Faulk and I don’t have enough viewings of him to counter argue but he “seems” to check a couple boxes: PP QB and can be sheltered by Larsson with 2nd pairing minutes.

Really need Klefbom to bounce back.

 

[Spawn]

That is laughable to me.

Trouba showed one season of promise offensively, which was 2016-2017. Aside from that he's produced what Nurse did last year his whole career. He and Nurse have similar offensive potential, so you're not getting anything more there. Trouba has skating, size, physicality, big shot, and yet he can't put it together. You watch him play and he makes bone headed decisions with the puck and poor reads defensively. He's going into his 6th season next year and hasn't really taken a step.

Trouba has had one season in 5 where he produced lower than Nurse did this past season. He's just flat out a better defender, offensively and defensively. For a guy who "can't put it together" he sure seems to play a lot of minutes with very good results and they were only drafted a year apart. Nurse took a big step forward this year, but he's still not at Jacob Trouba's level. Nurse has shown a lot of progression, so he could definitely get there (or beyond), but right now it's still Trouba.

 

[Joey Moss]

Trouba has had one season in 5 where he produced lower than Nurse did this past season. He's just flat out a better defender, offensively and defensively. For a guy who "can't put it together" he sure seems to play a lot of minutes with very good results and they were only drafted a year apart. Nurse took a big step forward this year, but he's still not at Jacob Trouba's level. Nurse has shown a lot of progression, so he could definitely get there (or beyond), but right now it's still Trouba.

He has had one season of 33 points, his career high. Nurse had 26 last year and is trending up to be a 30 point guy at the very least.

Klefbom last season was better than Trouba has ever been.

 

[Spawn]

He has had one season of 33 points, his career high. Nurse had 26 last year and is trending up to be a 30 point guy at the very least.

Klefbom last season was better than Trouba has ever been.

Klefbom last season was better than Nurse has ever been too. I don't think the Oilers should give up the moon for Jacob Trouba.

But your words for him are "awful hockey sense and decision making" and that Nurse is "much better."

Neither of these things are true.

"Similar offensive potential"

Darnell Nurse 47 points in 197 games. 0.24ppg
Jacob Trouba 129 points in 326 games. 0.40ppg

It's not close.

The only thing working against Trouba is the fact that he's had trouble staying healthy in his career. Which is a legit concern, he's only had one season where he's played more than 70 games. But in terms of on ice ability, Trouba is better than Nurse at this point in their careers.

 

[Joey Moss]

Klefbom last season was better than Nurse has ever been too. I don't think the Oilers should give up the moon for Jacob Trouba.

But your words for him are "awful hockey sense and decision making" and that Nurse is "much better."

Neither of these things are true.

"Similar offensive potential"

Darnell Nurse 47 points in 197 games. 0.24ppg
Jacob Trouba 129 points in 326 games. 0.40ppg

It's not close.

The only thing working against Trouba is the fact that he's had trouble staying healthy in his career. Which is a legit concern, he's only had one season where he's played more than 70 games. But in terms of on ice ability, Trouba is better than Nurse at this point in their careers.

Both PPG equate to 20 points and 32 over a full season. Trouba has consistently stayed in the same number, Nurse is trending up towards that number. That is my point. You may see a difference of 5-7 points a year between these two players in the coming years. I have never been impressed with Trouba's hockey sense. I used to have questions about Nurse's until last season. I think Trouba has had 5 seasons where he hasn't improved all that much while Nurse has been developing slower and looks to be trending up after last year. I do believe Nurse last season was better than Trouba and it's not unreasonable to think he will continue to be the better player based on trends.

You're also talking about two completely different teams last year if we're talking about production. Trouba has the most loaded offense in the league to pass the puck to with a high end D core around him. Nurse was on one of the lowest scoring teams in the league.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Nurse > Trouba

 

[BarDownBobo]

I don't think that is true at all.

Care to expand?

 

[Little Fury]

That is laughable to me.

Trouba showed one season of promise offensively, which was 2016-2017. Aside from that he's produced what Nurse did last year his whole career. He and Nurse have similar offensive potential, so you're not getting anything more there.

Points per game last two seasons:
Trouba: 0.49
Nurse: 0.20

There's no question who the more productive player is and it ain't Nurse.

Trouba has skating, size, physicality, big shot, and yet he can't put it together. You watch him play and he makes bone headed decisions with the puck and poor reads defensively. He's going into his 6th season next year and hasn't really taken a step.

So at worst he's Nurse but more productive and a right hand shot.

 

[Draiskull]

Oilers need to add someone with offense.

Krug, Myers, Faulk or Barrie.

Russell is fine playing RD.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-(Faulk\Myers)
Sekera-Russell

expensive but solid.

 

[Little Fury]

Oilers need to add someone with offense.

Krug, Myers, Faulk or Barrie.

Russell is fine playing RD.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-(Faulk\Myers)
Sekera-Russell

expensive but solid.

And how are we adding these guys without giving anything up from the current group?

 

[bobbythebrain]

Oh great. Nurse is better than Trouba now.

I remember last year when Klef was better than Slavin

 

[OilBuoy]

Klefbom - Larsson
Sekera - Faulk (played together in Carolina)
Russell - Chris Wideman (UFA)
Yarullin (KHL FA)

Nurse, JP, Kassian to Canes for Faulk, Lindholm, Zykov

Benning to Detroit for Frk (another PP one-time option)

 

[McYoungGuns]

I just don't see what some of you guys see in Nurse, I see a physical, good skating D that is pretty much dumb as hell. He will take bad penalties cause he can't seem to control his anger, he will skate into the zone (which is a good thing) and then just hold It for hours or take a pathetic shot. Some see a poor mans pronger, I see at his very best a number 4

 

[bobbythebrain]

I just don't see what some of you guys see in Nurse, I see a physical, good skating D that is pretty much dumb as hell. He will take bad penalties cause he can't seem to control his anger, he will skate into the zone (which is a good thing) and then just hold It for hours or take a pathetic shot. Some see a poor mans pronger, I see at his very best a number 4

 

[Spawn]

I just don't see what some of you guys see in Nurse, I see a physical, good skating D that is pretty much dumb as hell. He will take bad penalties cause he can't seem to control his anger, he will skate into the zone (which is a good thing) and then just hold It for hours or take a pathetic shot. Some see a poor mans pronger, I see at his very best a number 4

I think it's fair to suggest that Nurse at times makes some poor decisions. But he made absolutely massive strides this past season. This coming from a guy who really doubted him going into the season.

26 ES points was good enough for 34th in the league for d-men. Tied with Colton Parayko. He had good shot metrics playing against tough competition with tough zone starts and had the best GA/60 for d-men on the team.

The simple fact with Nurse was that the results were there this year. He had a great year....

 

[shoop]

I think it's fair to suggest that Nurse at times makes some poor decisions. But he made absolutely massive strides this past season. This coming from a guy who really doubted him going into the season.

26 ES points was good enough for 34th in the league for d-men. Tied with Colton Parayko. He had good shot metrics playing against tough competition with tough zone starts and had the best GA/60 for d-men on the team.

The simple fact with Nurse was that the results were there this year. He had a great year....

Nurse had a good year, not a great year.

Nurse proved he was able to play strong second pairing minutes. That's a good year.

Whenever Nurse was elevated to the first pair he struggled. Had Nurse been able to play first pairing minutes that would have been a great year.

 

[Draiskull]

And how are we adding these guys without giving anything up from the current group?

we are not adding "these" as in multiple players.. we would be adding just one of them.

guys like Faulk and Myers wont cost much more than the 10 OA+Benning

At worst, Chia should be looking at M.Green the UFA. We need an offensive D more than a winger.

 

[Draiskull]

Klefbom - Larsson
Sekera - Faulk (played together in Carolina)
Russell - Chris Wideman (UFA)
Yarullin (KHL FA)

Nurse, JP, Kassian to Canes for Faulk, Lindholm, Zykov

Benning to Detroit for Frk (another PP one-time option)

heck no to the bolded.

 

[Little Fury]

we are not adding "these" as in multiple players.. we would be adding just one of them.

guys like Faulk and Myers wont cost much more than the 10 OA+Benning

Unlikely. You're probably looking at Klef+ the 10th or Puljujarvi+. Top 4 RHD aren't cheap.

At worst, Chia should be looking at M.Green the UFA. We need an offensive D more than a winger.

When the dust settles on the current crop of RFAs the Oilers will have maybe $5M to play with on an $80M cap. No way they can afford Green.

 

[Draiskull]

Unlikely. You're probably looking at Klef+ the 10th or Puljujarvi+. Top 4 RHD aren't cheap.

When the dust settles on the current crop of RFAs the Oilers will have maybe $5M to play with on an $80M cap. No way they can afford Green.

top 10 picks are not cheap either, neither prospects picked top 5 and while we are at it top 4 LHD like Klefbom are not cheap either.

Faulk struggled as bad as Klefbom last year. Atleast Klefa had an excuse.
WPG fans would gladly trade Myers for 10 OA pick considering their need to shed the salary
and finally walking away from Strome would give us plenty of cap space to sign Green.

 

[Little Fury]

top 10 picks are not cheap either, neither prospects picked top 5 and while we are at it top 4 LHD like Klefbom are not cheap either.Faulk struggled as bad as Klefbom last year. Atleast Klefa had an excuse.

Carolina has no reason to give Faulk away for a pick that won't help them win for a few years.

WPG fans would gladly trade Myers for 10 OA pick considering their need to shed the salary

Fans aren't the GM. Winnipeg has no reason to give players away yet, their big cap crunch doesn't hit till next season.

and finally walking away from Strome would give us plenty of cap space to sign Green.

And whoever you replace Strome with is likely going to make close to the same so any savings will be minimal.