Player Discussion Darnell Nurse

[MessierII]

Not more of an impact than a top pairing defenseman would have.

As old as he is, Duncan Keith was excellent in this series.

Defense has been this team's Achilles heel since Pronger left.

To put it in perspective, the defense is virtually the same since the last time we made the playoffs, only swapping Bear for Sekera and everyone got three years older.

To put it even further in perspective, our best defenseman this series was... MATT BENNING.

Your not going to find a D man on an ELC with star upside though. We have plenty of D help coming. Guys like Bear and Jones are just beginning their nhl careers. If you can somehow make the cap space to sign Petriangelo I think that’s more likely than getting a fair trade for the pick.

 

[McJadeddog]

If the Oilers somehow get the top pick, do you not consider dangling it for a top pairing defenseman?

Without question. It's, BY FAR, the biggest missing piece on this team. If some GM is dumb enough to give you a legit #1 dman for Lafreniere, you make that trade in a heartbeat.

 

[Todd from Leduc]

I think we should just keep Lafrenier and let the D figure itself out, with that much firepower up front D should not be a huge issue. Or we could trade Draisaitl for a Josi and free up space at the same time. I can feel it, Laf will be an Oiler.

 

[Little Fury]

If the Oilers somehow get the top pick, do you not consider dangling it for a top pairing defenseman?

No. We still need forwards and our current top prospects are all D.

 

[RandomGuy79]

No. We still need forwards and our current top prospects are all D.

We need someone to be able to step in NOW as a top defenceman, not 5 years down the road.

 

[McJadeddog]

We need someone to be able to step in NOW as a top defenceman, not 5 years down the road.

Exactly. We can't wait and pray that one of our (admittedly pretty impressive) young dmen will become a top-pairing guy in 2-4 years from now.

 

[RandomGuy79]

Exactly. We can't wait and pray that one of our (admittedly pretty impressive) young dmen will become a top-pairing guy in 2-4 years from now.

Would help those younger players so much to develop too.

 

[Little Fury]

We need someone to be able to step in NOW as a top defenceman, not 5 years down the road.

I'd focus on clearing out the deadwood on the backend, improving the goaltending and the scoring depth before giving up a young cost-controlled top pick for a #1D which, let's face it, probably isn't available anyway and probably not at a price we can afford.

 

[Joey Moss]

This upcoming off-season is probably not the time to trade Nurse, but I would be shopping him the folloing year if I was Holland. Incredibly overrated player. Hard to believe some fans and media consider him a part of the core group with McDavid and Leon.

 

[The Nuge]

If the Oilers somehow get the top pick, do you not consider dangling it for a top pairing defenseman?

If Columbus wants to get some star power up front and offers Jones, sure. But something like Lafreniere for McDonagh, or whoever else similar, is just asking for a repeat of the Hall trade. If we move the pick, it needs to be for a young #1 dman on a reasonable deal. That’s a small list, and it gets even smaller when you factor in that the other team actually has to want to do it.

It doesn’t work cap wise. You get the top pick you keep it. A star winger on an elc would be huge for this team.

Exactly. Pulju didn’t work out, so people are scared off, but getting a 60+ point guy on an ELC for 3 years will solve all kinds of cap issues

 

[McTonyBrar]

I am the biggest Nurse homer, as everyone knows on this board. But, this playoff has shown a lot about how the NHL has changed. Nurse is a fine #4 but in the third period last night, Jones should've been playing more than Klefbom and Nurse. I feel that if Nurse asks for too much, trade him

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

If Columbus wants to get some star power up front and offers Jones, sure. But something like Lafreniere for McDonagh, or whoever else similar, is just asking for a repeat of the Hall trade. If we move the pick, it needs to be for a young #1 dman on a reasonable deal. That’s a small list, and it gets even smaller when you factor in that the other team actually has to want to do it.



Exactly. Pulju didn’t work out, so people are scared off, but getting a 60+ point guy on an ELC for 3 years will solve all kinds of cap issues

So where is their top pairing defenseman coming from? Broberg is still years away from being that.

 

[Little Fury]

So where is their top pairing defenseman coming from? Broberg is still years away from being that.

Broberg is the last guy I'd have pegged as having #D potential unless we're talking #1 like Klefbom is a #1.

But to answer your Q, if we want a #1D we have to draft and develop them.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Broberg is the last guy I'd have pegged as having #D potential unless we're talking #1 like Klefbom is a #1.

But to answer your Q, if we want a #1D we have to draft and develop them.

We may have to go the Vegas route where we have a strong dcore and not a top top guy.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Broberg is the last guy I'd have pegged as having #D potential unless we're talking #1 like Klefbom is a #1.

But to answer your Q, if we want a #1D we have to draft and develop them.

Connor will be long gone by the time that happens.

 

[Joey Moss]

I am the biggest Nurse homer, as everyone knows on this board. But, this playoff has shown a lot about how the NHL has changed. Nurse is a fine #4 but in the third period last night, Jones should've been playing more than Klefbom and Nurse. I feel that if Nurse asks for too much, trade him

I have a hard time labeling Nurse. I have zero confidence in him covering the right spot when we are hemmed in. I have very little confidence in him in the offensive zone making a play. The only time Nurse seems to be a strong defenseman is in a 1 on 1 situation, he's tough to beat. I guess if he has the right partner he's a #4? Bear as a rookie complemented him because of the ability to move the puck and read plays in the defensive zone. It hid Nurse's d-zone mistakes all year. But Bear struggled big time in this series against Chicago and the pairing got eaten alive. Nurse has all the tools you want in a defenseman and the IQ flaws that make him a complete liability in specific situations. We can't afford to have defenseman who make those costly misreads consistently (that's Benning's job). At 5.6 million this is a huge waste of cap.

 

[North]

I have a hard time labeling Nurse. I have zero confidence in him covering the right spot when we are hemmed in. I have very little confidence in him in the offensive zone making a play. The only time Nurse seems to be a strong defenseman is in a 1 on 1 situation, he's tough to beat. I guess if he has the right partner he's a #4? Bear as a rookie complemented him because of the ability to move the puck and read plays in the defensive zone. It hid Nurse's d-zone mistakes all year. But Bear struggled big time in this series against Chicago and the pairing got eaten alive. Nurse has all the tools you want in a defenseman and the IQ flaws that make him a complete liability in specific situations. We can't afford to have defenseman who make those costly misreads consistently (that's Benning's job). At 5.6 million this is a huge waste of cap.

Ideally if there are teams that still want him we should try to include a pick and upgrade on him.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I have a hard time labeling Nurse. I have zero confidence in him covering the right spot when we are hemmed in. I have very little confidence in him in the offensive zone making a play. The only time Nurse seems to be a strong defenseman is in a 1 on 1 situation, he's tough to beat. I guess if he has the right partner he's a #4? Bear as a rookie complemented him because of the ability to move the puck and read plays in the defensive zone. It hid Nurse's d-zone mistakes all year. But Bear struggled big time in this series against Chicago and the pairing got eaten alive. Nurse has all the tools you want in a defenseman and the IQ flaws that make him a complete liability in specific situations. We can't afford to have defenseman who make those costly misreads consistently (that's Benning's job). At 5.6 million this is a huge waste of cap.

Like I said, if he asks for too much, trade him

 

[Joey Moss]

Like I said, if he asks for too much, trade him

He's already making too much.

 

[Paralyzer008]

He's already making too much.

Yep, we're paying him as the 37th highest paid D in the league, so he's being paid as a no.2 D-man.

If you don't think he's a No.2 (I don't) - then he is overpaid.

Based on our organization and icetime allocation, he's our No.2 D which is why they did that.

 

[LTIR]

Yep, we're paying him as the 37th highest paid D in the league, so he's being paid as a no.2 D-man.

If you don't think he's a No.2 (I don't) - then he is overpaid.

Based on our organization and icetime allocation, he's our No.2 D which is why they did that.

Unlike many of the these 37 Dmen he isnt even giving up any UFA years

 

[Sempiternal]

I rather keep Nurse and move the Swedes.

 

[Oilhawks]

I rather keep Nurse and move the Swedes.

Not at 7+ million longterm, lol

 

[Sempiternal]

Not at 7+ million longterm, lol

No, not at that salary.

 

[Oilhawks]

No, not at that salary.

Unfortunately it looks like that's what they would be settling on around. At least 6 million long term