Post-Game Talk: Cloned can finally take a cold shower. Nurse needs some more practice.

[Oil Dood]

Nurse isn't the problem on the PP. Not having McDavid out there is. And a big one. This team has no one(yet) that can consistently gain the line or even be a threat to do so. Drai is the closest, and we usually need some smart passing to get it in, or just a dump in. Once we're in the zone, I think we do okay. We had some grade A chances last night, but unfortunately, the guys (especially Nurse) just couldn't cash in. It happens. Despite the eventual shots on goal, we could have put this one away early if we had potted a couple more. I think the Wild would have wilted a bit after that.

Three things.

Loved Yamo's post game comment, where he said he needed to bear down harder and cash in on his chances. Taking personal repsonsibility. This kid is such a keeper. The way he came back hard after losing the puck at the blue line was a testament to his character.

And speaking of coming back hard, a huge shoutout to Drai. The passes didn't click last night, and when they did, others couldn't finish them. But he was a beast back checking and forechecking all over the ice. True leadership. So impressed with where his game is now. A real 200 footer, he is. Turning into a great player. And to think, there was a poster a couple months ago that said he shouldn't have to do anything else other than to get points. Embarrassing that was.

Nuge has an incredibly under-rated shot. I'll go out on a limb and predict 40 goals for him next year, IF he can stay healthy, and they keep this line together. He and Yamo are developing a real chemistry together with Drai. Imagine how good they are going to be after a full year of plying together?

I caught the inability to gain the zone too, and I gotta wonder if Bear or Yammo would have success gaining the line. This is where McDavid is missed the most on the PP plus defenders have to really be wary of having him and Drai on opposite sides. No offense to anyone else on the ice as they are not McD.
Bear is gonna kill it out there with both the big guns on the ice, I really believe he is our best offensive weapon on the back end.

 

[Zaddy]

Didn't bother to watch the game but I find it interesting to hear some of the takes in here on Nurse now when Klefbom is out and Nurse is forced into those minutes (both on the PP and otherwise). Not so easy after all is it? He's a solid 2nd pair defenseman but that is all he is. Klefbom eating some of his minutes is making him look better than he actually is. He can't carry a defense the way Klefbom does on a nightly basis.

 

[Oil Dood]

Didn't bother to watch the game but I find it interesting to hear some of the takes in here on Nurse now when Klefbom is out and Nurse is forced into those minutes (both on the PP and otherwise). Not so easy after all is it? He's a solid 2nd pair defenseman but that is all he is. Klefbom eating some of his minutes is making him look better than he actually is. He can't carry a defense the way Klefbom does on a nightly basis.

Nurse was fine, Klfebom is fine too. Niether one of them are the big difference maker on the PP(McD is the big one here for gaining the line).
HIm and Klefbom are 1A and 1B.

I have a question for you though, and it is one I had to ask myself:

Why does it have to be Nurse vs Klefbom? Neither are a number one defensman(would be great with a legit #1. Too bad one of them is not a right hander, their styles would compliment each other drastically.

Again Nurse did fine. Even though our PP did not do great that is more because of McD being out. Our point man is pretty low impact back there, maybe Bear changes that but the bulk of our PP goals this year has been a down low play either to Drai or to the front of the net. Not a lot of point shots.

 

[Oil Dood]

Didn't bother to watch the game but I find it interesting to hear some of the takes in here on Nurse now when Klefbom is out and Nurse is forced into those minutes (both on the PP and otherwise). Not so easy after all is it? He's a solid 2nd pair defenseman but that is all he is. Klefbom eating some of his minutes is making him look better than he actually is. He can't carry a defense the way Klefbom does on a nightly basis.

Also if you did not watch the game I would think it would be best to go back and watch it and form your own opinion. The board is too divided between Nurse/Klef to get an actual unbiased look.

 

[McDNicks17]

Didn't bother to watch the game but I find it interesting to hear some of the takes in here on Nurse now when Klefbom is out and Nurse is forced into those minutes (both on the PP and otherwise). Not so easy after all is it? He's a solid 2nd pair defenseman but that is all he is. Klefbom eating some of his minutes is making him look better than he actually is. He can't carry a defense the way Klefbom does on a nightly basis.

Klefbom has never done what Nurse is doing right now.

When Klef is eating special teams minutes, he had Nurse/Bear doing the heavy lifting at 5v5. Nurse doesn't have that. He's doing both his and Klefbom's jobs right now.

 

[SK13]

Klefbom has never done what Nurse is doing right now.

When Klef is eating special teams minutes, he had Nurse/Bear doing the heavy lifting at 5v5. Nurse doesn't have that. He's doing both his and Klefbom's jobs right now.

This might mean something if Darnell Nurse weren't - hands down - THE worst Edmonton Oiler over the last two games.

 

[McDNicks17]

This might mean something if Darnell Nurse weren't - hands down - THE worst Edmonton Oiler over the last two games.

Definitely an exaggeration for last game.

 

[SK13]

Definitely an exaggeration for last game.

He wasn't good and I can't summon up another name that was clearly worse.

You're wrong anyway. Oscar Klefbom has played several games this year alone where he is #1 in EV ice-time on top of his special teams play - including the very last game he played. Oscar has played more than Darnell Nurse did against Minnesota 17 times this year. At least three of those games were more in 5v5 ice-time, not just EV all situations.

Now more than ever the gap between these two is clear.

 

[tardigrade81]

He wasn't good and I can't summon up another name that was clearly worse.

You're wrong anyway. Oscar Klefbom has played several games this year alone where he is #1 in EV ice-time on top of his special teams play - including the very last game he played. Oscar has played more than Darnell Nurse did against Minnesota 17 times this year. At least three of those games were more in 5v5 ice-time, not just EV all situations.

Now more than ever the gap between these two is clear.

Jones had the most awful clearing attempt I’ve ever seen against Minnesota. You sure Nurse was worse than him? I like Jones, but he has been flat out awful lately.

 

[SK13]

Jones had the most awful clearing attempt I’ve ever seen against Minnesota. You sure Nurse was worse than him? I like Jones, but he has been flat out awful lately.

Jones was the Oilers best defenseman - by a margin - against Boston.

So imma go with the dude who was horrific against the Bruins and simply mediocre against the Wild as my goat of the week.

 

[McDNicks17]

He wasn't good and I can't summon up another name that was clearly worse.

You're wrong anyway. Oscar Klefbom has played several games this year alone where he is #1 in EV ice-time on top of his special teams play - including the very last game he played. Oscar has played more than Darnell Nurse did against Minnesota 17 times this year.

Now more than ever the gap between these two is clear.

Simply playing more minutes doesn't mean you're playing the toughest minutes. Nurse played 13 minutes at 5v5 against the Bruins, but played all but two of the top line's shifts. Klefbom has never done that. He always has Nurse/Bear taking those matchups.

Sure, Nurse sucks on the PP, but there's almost no comparison between the PP with and without McDavid. There's basically ten times more being asked of Nurse and the other guys on it right now.

There isn't a hint of truth to this "Nurse can't do what Klefbom did" narrative.

 

[SK13]

Simply playing more minutes doesn't mean you're playing the toughest minutes. Nurse played 13 minutes at 5v5 against the Bruins, but played all but two of the top line's shifts. Klefbom has never done that. He always has Nurse/Bear taking those matchups.

Sure, Nurse sucks on the PP, but there's almost no comparison between the PP with and without McDavid. There's basically ten times more being asked of Nurse and the other guys on it right now.

There isn't a hint of truth to this "Nurse can't do what Klefbom did" narrative.

Stop saying "never". Tippett doesn't put Klefbom and his partner that is not Ethan Bear out there against top-lines as often, but Klefbom has spent a huge chunk of his career in those hard minutes. He was playing them before Nurse was drafted.

Even if I concede that Nurse is playing tougher minutes and needing to take over some special teams minutes, he's not alright in this role. He's completely exposed.

 

[McDNicks17]

Stop saying "never". Tippett doesn't put Klefbom and his partner that is not Ethan Bear out there against top-lines as often, but Klefbom has spent a huge chunk of his career in those hard minutes. He was playing them before Nurse was drafted.

Even if I concede that Nurse is playing tougher minutes and needing to take over some special teams minutes, he's not alright in this role. He's completely exposed.

And I don't disagree. I disagree with the premise that Nurse is now a playing a role that Klefbom was.

 

[tardigrade81]

Jones was the Oilers best defenseman - by a margin - against Boston.

So imma go with the dude who was horrific against the Bruins and simply mediocre against the Wild as my goat of the week.

Nurse is playing a physical game though lately which in my opinion he is doing quite well. Something the oilers desperately lack. All the Finesse and beautiful offense in the world won’t save a team in the playoffs. You need a physical player or multiple ones. Nurse is desperately needed come playoffs time.

ask the leafs how well it’s been working for them being complete p***yes come playoffs. First round exit 3 years in a row now.

 

[tardigrade81]

And I don't disagree. I disagree with the premise that Nurse is now a playing a role that Klefbom was.

I think once this team makes playoffs we will see a very physical Nurse. Trouble is it takes away from the rest of his game. Not sure why he can’t do both.

 

[GOilers88]

What's funny is that if neither Klef/Nurse are going to be legit #1's neither is going to net you one in a trade either, nevermind the fact that teams just don't trade away #1 guys. So why not just happily keep them both as legit top four guys in their primes and look to upgrade the right side?

Don't care if Bouchard is in the wings. I'd rather upgrade Larsson over Klef/Nurse and make him force his way into your top four in the next couple of years.

 

[Zaddy]

Klefbom has never done what Nurse is doing right now.

He has. Many, many times. Throughout most of his career actually.

When Klef is eating special teams minutes, he had Nurse/Bear doing the heavy lifting at 5v5. Nurse doesn't have that. He's doing both his and Klefbom's jobs right now.

I'm not talking about this season in particular, I was talking Klefbom vs Nurse careers over time.

 

[Zaddy]

Nurse was fine, Klfebom is fine too. Niether one of them are the big difference maker on the PP(McD is the big one here for gaining the line).
HIm and Klefbom are 1A and 1B.

I have a question for you though, and it is one I had to ask myself:

Why does it have to be Nurse vs Klefbom? Neither are a number one defensman(would be great with a legit #1. Too bad one of them is not a right hander, their styles would compliment each other drastically.

Again Nurse did fine. Even though our PP did not do great that is more because of McD being out. Our point man is pretty low impact back there, maybe Bear changes that but the bulk of our PP goals this year has been a down low play either to Drai or to the front of the net. Not a lot of point shots.

I don't have anything personal against Nurse, I just think this boards sometimes tend to overrated him because of his nationality and physical game, and vice versa with Klef (Swedish and not mean). And in my view when we see Klefbom at his very best he is a low-end #1D. I have never seen that level of play from Nurse. Maybe that is changing, who knows, but so far to me he hasn't shown that he is able to anchor a top pairing without having another guy eating up huge minutes too and/or having a very good partner.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I don't have anything personal against Nurse, I just think this boards sometimes tend to overrated him because of his nationality and physical game, and vice versa with Klef (Swedish and not mean). And in my view when we see Klefbom at his very best he is a low-end #1D. I have never seen that level of play from Nurse. Maybe that is changing, who knows, but so far to me he hasn't shown that he is able to anchor a top pairing without having another guy eating up huge minutes too and/or having a very good partner.

I don't think it has anything to do with nationality.

 

[Zaddy]

I don't think it has anything to do with nationality.

I could certainly be wrong but it's only natural to be biased towards people you have a shared identity with. I can admit that Klefbom being Swedish is a big part of why I've for years been arguing so heavily in favor of him. Not saying that it clouds my judgement on him necessarily, just that it makes me more likely to defend him and pay attention to any type of (in my mind) unwarranted criticism. Same with Larsson. I would be surprised if there isn't a degree of that with posters in here about Nurse too. People have a natural interest in putting him in a favorable light, or are at least a lot more inclined to do so for him vs Klefbom, who is just some random euro (that they have no connection to) to most people.

Hell, just go look at the Puljujärvi thread. There it is out in the open. The amount of vitriol towards the kid is insane. No way he'd be dragged under the bus to that extent if he was Canadian. He'd still get criticism of course but not to that level, I don't believe that for a second. And people are making extremely uninformed comments about the league he is playing in too. And, you know, I've never even been a fan of the player myself so if I react to the negativity surrounding him that should tell you something. It's way over the top and I believe it has a lot to do with nationality.