Player Discussion Darnell Nurse

[GOilers88]

Guys I like Klef too, especially given his contract. But the guy isn't wrong. He can almost be counted on not to play a full season every single year.

I would also explore a lateral option or two as a way of finding someone much more durable. I love the guy but he is the living definition of injury prone. Has been every year since he was 19, so I don't know why it would ever change, less usage or not.

 

[Aceboogie]

Guys I like Klef too, especially given his contract. But the guy isn't wrong. He can almost be counted on not to play a full season every single year.

I would also explore a lateral option or two as a way of finding someone much more durable. I love the guy but he is the living definition of injury prone. Has been every year since he was 19, so I don't know why it would ever change, less usage or not.

If you could find someone more durable, at that price point, that can do what Klefbom does in those hard/big minutes situation, and DOESNT cost a ton. Sure. But likely you find a D who has 2/4 in any variation

Nurse:
Durable: Check
As effective in same minutes: TBD
Price point: More expensive now, likely way more expensive in 2 years
Cost: Doesnt matter, already have him

Do this for any D you think is a replacement. Youll find next to none who check 4 out of 4 boxes

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

So what is it exactly that Nurse does well? Offense? Defense? Doesn't really seem like either.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

So what is it exactly that Nurse does well? Offense? Defense? Doesn't really seem like either.

Eat minutes? I don't know. I think the wait of being the team's #1 LHD isn't reacting well with him.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Eat minutes? I don't know. I think the wait of being the team's #1 LHD isn't reacting well with him.

I mean he's not the worst defenseman but it seems more and more like he's not worth his extension. Hopefully when (or if) Klefbom returns Nurse will settle in again.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I mean he's not the worst defenseman but it seems more and more like he's not worth his extension. Hopefully when (or if) Klefbom returns Nurse will settle in again.

I expect he will and I agree not doing the long term extension is looking like the right call (this was also helped by Bear's, and now Jones', presence on the blueline) I thought Tippett said something about maybe Kelfbom back this weekend, but they aren't terribly concerned.

 

[ImmuneEH]

I mean he's not the worst defenseman but it seems more and more like he's not worth his extension. Hopefully when (or if) Klefbom returns Nurse will settle in again.

I'm beginning to wonder how big the gap is between Nurse & Jones now and what it might be in a couple years when we have to renegotiate with Nurse.

 

[Oil Dood]

I mean he's not the worst defenseman but it seems more and more like he's not worth his extension. Hopefully when (or if) Klefbom returns Nurse will settle in again.

Fact is when you have two defenders that play as much as Nurse/Klefbom and one goes down the other one will struggle, I would love to see Bear(and later Bouchard) on the PP to control the minutes of those two, it is much like Drai/McD, it is hard to control time when they are the only ones capable of pushing the play.

 

[LTIR]

I'm beginning to wonder how big the gap is between Nurse & Jones now and what it might be in a couple years when we have to renegotiate with Nurse.

Both Nurse and Jones are playing in over their head. Jones got burned multiple times last night. Nurse for some reason is trying to lose his position to attempt a big hit. His decisions are strange.. instead of positionally sound he is either being too aggressive or just laying down on the ice.

 

[Aerchon]

I'm beginning to wonder how big the gap is between Nurse & Jones now and what it might be in a couple years when we have to renegotiate with Nurse.

Fact is when you have two defenders that play as much as Nurse/Klefbom and one goes down the other one will struggle, I would love to see Bear(and later Bouchard) on the PP to control the minutes of those two, it is much like Drai/McD, it is hard to control time when they are the only ones capable of pushing the play.

I agree with Oil Dood and like Nurse but after watching him recently I am really revising my opinion of this player.

I rarely change my opinion on a player for good or bad quickly. But Nurse is losing me as a fan. Imo he lost us the Minny game and has been playing like garbage since Klefbom injured.

Bear "looks" as good or better right now. With some digging into i hope I'm wrong.

Jones still has a long ways to go. He is getting relatively sheltered minutes and getting better but...belong ways.

However, watching guys like Bear and Jones get better before your eyes really emphasis how bad Nurse is struggling.

I hate that Nurses deal takes him to UFA. Risky and stupid imo. About 1 mill too high imo as well for that kind of deal. I feel a bit better about it now tho for all the wrong reasons. Nurse is not rising to the challenge and losing him to UFA, from his recent play, may not be as bad as I originally feared.

Prioritize resigning Klefbom. Hopefully Jones, Broberg, Samourukov or even Laggesson can improve enough that we can trade Nurse without worry.

Build our defense around Klefbom Bouchard and Bear as our top 3.

 

[Oilhawks]

I'm beginning to wonder how big the gap is between Nurse & Jones now and what it might be in a couple years when we have to renegotiate with Nurse.

Jones is poised to be the better Defenceman. He’ll lack the physicality but is looking better in every other metric. Foot speed is close but Jones’ better hockey sense gives him the edge for any speed he lacks compared to Nurse.

 

[Darkwinter]

This has been a bad year for Nurse . He needs to be sat down and told he is not bigger than the team

 

[Hairy Apparatus]

Nurse does nothing hes just there

 

[McDNicks17]

Jones is poised to be the better Defenceman. He’ll lack the physicality but is looking better in every other metric. Foot speed is close but Jones’ better hockey sense gives him the edge for any speed he lacks compared to Nurse.

I don't really see the hockey sense with Jones.

He seems to struggle with decision making as much as anyone on the team.

 

[Raab]

Why do you guys hate Nurse?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Why do you guys hate Nurse?

Haha get it because Raab, ha ha ha, jokes.

 

[McTonyBrar]

So what is it exactly that Nurse does well? Offense? Defense? Doesn't really seem like either.

People need to relax. He’s playing outside of his comfort zone. He was fine before Klefbom got injured. Is that a coincidence? Heck no

 

[McTonyBrar]

This has been a bad year for Nurse . He needs to be sat down and told he is not bigger than the team

“Nurse you have to play 30 minutes a night and you have to play like Chris Pronger or we will all hate you even if you make a small mistake or misread any play. You have to be perfect or we will jump on you and make you the whipping boy even if sometimes it’s not your fault”

- every HFOil member

 

[LTIR]

Hing sight but had Holland waited til now to extend Kassian and Nurse he could have saved a million from each contract.

 

[Tom Poti]

nurse is being over extended atm, i think its clear at this point that he isn't quite ready for those big minutes and roles on a consistent basis, nothing too concerning about that at this point imo. once we get healthy he will go back to being in more comfortable minutes/roles and slightly lesser QOC. I think the bridge contract may prove to be a better choice over time.

one thing that does concern me is his defensive reads and vision. he seems to be very reactionary to the other team's offence rather than putting himself in smart positions to disrupt plays. there has been a few times lately where he seems to get 'lost' in the the d-zone and sucks back to the goalie leaving clear passes to shooters in the slot. in these moments he doesn't even move his head to scan for pass and shot opportunities.

 

[TKB21]

nurse is being over extended atm, i think its clear at this point that he isn't quite ready for those big minutes and roles on a consistent basis, nothing too concerning about that at this point imo. once we get healthy he will go back to being in more comfortable minutes/roles and slightly lesser QOC. I think the bridge contract may prove to be a better choice over time.

My exact sentiments, Nurse is a good Dman but not top pairing good. Maybe one day he will but the bridge contract looks genius at the moment. He’s in way over his head.

 

[oobga]

Yeah, he's just playing too much. We clearly need Klef on this team. Nurse covered a little better last year, but expectations were lower last season and we sucked anyways. Klef went down Dec 11 last year, came back Feb 5th. We went 6-12-3 in that time. This was a lot harder this year, especially with McDavid out at the same time as Klef.

 

[Zaddy]

I'm actually starting to think that Nurse won't stay on the team past this contract. His market value will likely be way above what he's actually worth at that point and I think the fact that Holland went for this 2 year type deal says a lot about what he thinks about Nurse. The only thing that I think could potentially argue in favor of keeping him is that he is part of the leadership core on the team, but I hope Holland ignores that and makes a smart hockey decision instead. You'll be able to find cheaper options than Nurse for the role that he fills (2nd pair LD), or, more likely, between Jones, Samorukov and Broberg we'll develop one internally.

Now the Broberg pick actually makes more sense to me, because that may have been part of Holland's thinking. Broberg and Nurse are quite similar players and it's likely that he'll be able to fill that exact same role in the future, hopefully by the time Darnell's contract ends.

Klefbom-Bouchard
Broberg-Bear
Jones-whoever

Seems like a likely top6 for the start of the 22/23 season.

 

[Tyrolean]

Not a Nurse fan. Hope they trade him for an upgrade one day. The guy is dumb.

 

[CookiesAndMilk]

Klefbom-Bouchard
Broberg-Bear
Jones-whoever

Looks so good but really soft at the same time.