Darnell Nurse - NHL Ready or Not?

[KlefDown]

3/10/14 EDIT: What about now? Thoughts on his camp and pre-season. Has you opinion of him changed? Has he done enough to crack a roster spot or down to minors he goes?



Do you guys think he'll crack our top 9 come next season?
He had another solid season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and then went on to play a few games with OKC in the playoffs where he did quite well too. What surprised me is that he didn't make the Team Canada in the WJC, because it was because of his age or they just didn't think he was good enough, I don't know.
I personally think he'll stay one more year in the minors just like Islanders are doing with Griffen.

thoughts?

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[bzur]

We shall see come camp. I think he needs to bulk up and step in in a position to succeed. If we bring in 1 or 2 top defenseman it might be a good idea, but if he's going to be playing on a d that includes both of klefbom or marincin I think it'd be beneficial that he stay down. This is a guy that I want in when we're in a position to win.

 

[Soundwave]

Needs another year of development I would say. He also needs to get well above 200 pounds on his frame to be able to withstand the rigors of the NHL.

 

[Spawn]

I'd rather let him over ripen than take him out green. If it didn't hurt Alex Pietrangelo to go back to junior for 2 years, it wont hurt Darnell Nurse. You can hurt him playing him when he isn't completely ready.

We are going to need to continue to break in Marincin next year, and possibly Klefbom as well as the year goes on. There's no room for another rookie on the left side.

 

[CanadianSuperPromise]

Most likely will see another year. However I wouldn't hesitate to give him a 9 game stint to keep up his morale.

 

[Paralyzer008]

He needs another year, and a nice World Junior stint that's overdue.

He's got NHL speed from what I've seen, but he's still a bit raw in some places.

 

[AlowlyMcOilersfan]

He needs another year, and a nice World Junior stint that's overdue.

Agreed with this, but I wouldn't mind giving him at least a game in the regular season, depending how well he does at TC.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Watching him play I'd say another year in junior would do him good, there is a lot to like but he is still a bit raw, he's probably good enough to play now in the NHL in a sheltered role, but our d-corps is weak enough without having another defender learning on the job. Another year should make him a bit more of an impact player when he does arrive on the scene, plus he will be getting 25+ mins a night in junior which we can't be feeding him on the big club.

If we do happen to end up with Ekblad after the draft, I'd hope irregardless of the camp the two have atleast one of them would be sent back, you can't expect any modicum of success with a d-corps that young regardless of how good they might appear at first glance, Ference being the only veteran defender is not tolerable.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

He didnt make the WJC because he's a risk-taker and management were worried he would get exposed defensively. If this is the case at the junior level, it's probably for the best he doesn't play at the NHL level next season. We've gone this far, may as well wait until he's ready.

 

[thadd]

If we didn't have youngsters like Marincin and Klefbom earning minutes? Yes
If he was big enough (210is) so that he could bully people like he does in the juniors? Yes
If he was a righty? Yes

Really hope we can see Nurse put on some serious weight and do it right in the off-season. If he does he could steal a job from someone on our NHL club but he'd have to literally look perfect to steal that spot. There's always a chance that Klefbom starts the year in the NHL, but Nurse can't just play as well as him. IMO He's got to clearly look like the much better player and he's gotta have the size to play his style of game. He can Justin Schultz would be a pretty balanced pairing IMO.

 

[The Human Torch]

Do you guys think he'll crack our top 9 come next season?

I'm assuming you mean our top six since he's, y'know, not a forward, but other than that I'd prefer to keep him in junior for another year. We'll be a terrible team next season, no sense burning a year of his ELC only to have him get shelled and end up -47.

 

[McGlassbangers]

He is going to get 9 games, that's 100% fact. It's up to him if he's going to stay here or not. He needs to bulk up tho

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I was very very very very very very very very impressed with him at last years camp.

He's close, but another year in juniors wouldn't hurt his development. If he's among the best performing defenseman during the preseason i don't see how you can send him down.

 

[joestevens29]

Far too early to really know. He still has a whole summer to get himself into better shape.

There's also all the other wild cards, such as Marincin, Klefbom and potentially even Ekblad.

Things should also change via trades/free agents as well, and there might not be a spot to give to him regardless of whether or not he looks like he could make it or not.

I don't want him cracking the top 9 either. First of all how often does a team keep 9 healthy d-men? Secondly if he isn't showing enough to be the #5 then send him back to juniors. we don't need to find out after 30 games that the guy who was the 8th man in camp is now playing like crap.

 

[Gord]

Do you guys think he'll crack our top 9 come next season?
He had another solid season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and then went on to play a few games with OKC in the playoffs where he did quite well too. What surprised me is that he didn't make the Team Canada in the WJC, because it was because of his age or they just didn't think he was good enough, I don't know.
I personally think he'll stay one more year in the minors just like Islanders are doing with Griffen.

thoughts?

I think he'll be with the Oilers because they have a really crappy defense. a not ready Nurse is better than almost all of the remaining oiler D.

that and I don't trust Oiler management to make the smart call when it comes to player development.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

He didnt make the WJC because he's a risk-taker and management were worried he would get exposed defensively. If this is the case at the junior level, it's probably for the best he doesn't play at the NHL level next season. We've gone this far, may as well wait until he's ready.

I think he also likes laying huge hits which is risky in those kinds of tournaments.

 

[CupofOil]

Another year at least. He's still very raw and needs to add some weight to his frame considering the style of game that he plays. Watching him on the Barons, you can see the flashes of potential but you can also see that he's not that close to pro ready quite yet.

I think he can still learn a lot in junior. Keep in mind, that he wasn't voted top 3 in any defenseman category by OHL coaches (except for hardest shot i think) and he wasn't even invited to WJC camp so he still has a ways to go to even be an elite junior player. This is the type of prospect that you need to bring along slowly and it will pay off big time eventually.
I hope that the stupid idiots in charge don't gift him a roster spot to start next season just because he supposedly almost made the team out of camp last season.

 

[mactforcoach]

I think he totally needs to spend the year in juniors. Give him a few games at the start of the season with the club but he needs more time to develop. There is no downside to having him dominate the juniors this year but rushing him into the NHL could be disastrous.

 

[nsoilfan]

i like the system of 2 years of jr and 1 year of pro before being nhl ready.

this allows the player to develope properly.

frankly we can not afford to have guys learning on the job any more. it is costing us games and play off chances.

 

[Playa Hejda]

I say rush him to the show now. Those entry year contracts are like playing with house money and why change what's already working? Besides, we are basically one good, young defenseman away.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Echoing the sentiment that another year of junior is likely more beneficial. He would have to completely dominate to stay up all year. Even if he's slightly better than Klefbom/Marincin/both, he needs to fill out a bit more to play his game at the NHL level. He still has something to prove at the junior level as well. SSM should be a strong team next year, he will also be a go to guy at the WJC and should dominate there on the NA ice. This year, he likely comes in at around 205, next year, 210-215. That extra year of strength and conditioning is very important for a guy who looks to punish someone every shift.

It's gonna be awesome watching him destroy people at the WJC.

 

[Roof Daddy]

I say rush him to the show now. Those entry year contracts are like playing with house money and why change what's already working? Besides, we are basically one good, young defenseman away.

He's still on his sliding years. The ELC doesn't burn a year until 2015-16 season.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

give him 9 games then send him back no matter what

a D corps of Marincin, Klefbom AND Nurse is another lost season IMO

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I think he will play next year. Eakins could barely send him down last year.

Give him harder minutes and see how heavy he is.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Give him 9, let him know what he needs to work on if he wants to be a top pairing dman, send him back to junior to hone his game.