Is Darnell Nurse a #1D?

[Llamamoto]

Is Nurse a #1 defensemen?

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[82Ninety42011]

He certainly played like one this year.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Based on the way he played this year, I’d love to hear someone explain to me why Darnell Nurse isn’t a top 30 defenseman

Amongst defensemen: 2nd goals, 1st in 5v5 goals, 12th in points, 2nd in 5v5 points, 5th in +/-, 4th in minutes per game, and solid defensive metrics despite having weak 2-way partners (Barrie and Bear) being stapled to his hip. All while bringing the intangibles like physicality, shot blocking, and a willingness to drop the gloves.

Nurse is a top 30 defenseman, and a #1Dman for sure. People who claim otherwise obviously didn’t watch Nurse this year, he has grown significantly in terms of hockey IQ and situational awareness.

 

[780il]

Based on the way he played this year, I’d love to hear someone explain to me why Darnell Nurse isn’t a top 30 defenseman

Amongst defensemen: 2nd goals, 1st in 5v5 goals, 12th in points, 2nd in 5v5 points, 5th in +/-, 4th in minutes per game, and solid defensive metrics despite having weak 2-way partners (Barrie and Bear) being stapled to his hip. All while bringing the intangibles like physicality, shot blocking, and a willingness to drop the gloves.

Nurse is a top 30 defenseman, and a #1Dman for sure. People who claim otherwise obviously didn’t watch Nurse this year, he has grown significantly in terms of hockey IQ and situational awareness.

pROduCt OF McDAviD

 

[snipes]

He was an absolute horse this year. This year he’s been a #1.

Thought he was the best Oilers player in the playoffs this year by a wide margin for us.

He’s been one of the best 5 v 5 producers for D men the last 3 years. 16 goals I think all of them were at even strength as well, haven’t double checked though. He was also +27 this year. By every measurable way, he was a #1.

There are nowhere close to 30 D men better than him in the NHL.

 

[snipes]

Based on the way he played this year, I’d love to hear someone explain to me why Darnell Nurse isn’t a top 30 defenseman

Amongst defensemen: 2nd goals, 1st in 5v5 goals, 12th in points, 2nd in 5v5 points, 5th in +/-, 4th in minutes per game, and solid defensive metrics despite having weak 2-way partners (Barrie and Bear) being stapled to his hip. All while bringing the intangibles like physicality, shot blocking, and a willingness to drop the gloves.

Nurse is a top 30 defenseman, and a #1Dman for sure. People who claim otherwise obviously didn’t watch Nurse this year, he has grown significantly in terms of hockey IQ and situational awareness.

Size, toughness, elite skating ability on top of everything else you mentioned.

He’s going to play a big role for Canada in 2022 at the Olympics.

 

[CanadienShark]

He's a top 30 d-man for sure. So I'm leaning towards yes, even though it feels like he can take another step to really establish himself.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

If Edmonton doesn't want him, we would gladly take him. He was a very bright spot for an otherwise dull team this off-season.

 

[AuraSphere]

I would argue that despite being a top 30 dman, he's not a #1 dman. Not all teams have a number 1 d-man.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’s absolutely a top 31 defenseman in the league.

 

[Regal]

Based on the way he played this year, I’d love to hear someone explain to me why Darnell Nurse isn’t a top 30 defenseman

Amongst defensemen: 2nd goals, 1st in 5v5 goals, 12th in points, 2nd in 5v5 points, 5th in +/-, 4th in minutes per game, and solid defensive metrics despite having weak 2-way partners (Barrie and Bear) being stapled to his hip. All while bringing the intangibles like physicality, shot blocking, and a willingness to drop the gloves.

Nurse is a top 30 defenseman, and a #1Dman for sure. People who claim otherwise obviously didn’t watch Nurse this year, he has grown significantly in terms of hockey IQ and situational awareness.

His defensive numbers weren't strong though, they were quite poor. The team gave up significantly more shots, chances and goals with him on the ice. He had decent overall numbers because the team also produced far more shots, chances and goals with him on the ice 5v5. It's very likely that this is an aberration and skewed due to playing so much with McDrai and the way the Oilers play with them on the ice as opposed to not. I don't think Nurse's numbers reflect his defensive ability, but that also means his offensive numbers have to be put in context as well. He was a number one defenseman this season and whether someone wants to call him a that depends on how much stock they want to put on 56 games, but his season is definitely getting overrated.

 

[generalshepherd141]

is this really debatable? why is this poll even close

 

[snipes]

Nurse is far closer to a top 10 D man than he is to being the 31st best D man in the NHL.

 

[Gurglesons]

He was this year.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

He’s absolutely a top 31 defenseman in the league.

That doesn't make someone a 1D.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That doesn't make someone a 1D.

I think it does. I don’t make arbitrary designations about how much of each number defensemen there are.

 

[Bouboumaster]

In a perfect World, he's a 2nd. In a stacked team, he's a 3rd.

He's in the "Petry Tier", but not as good as Petry himself

 

[majormajor]

To me a #1 D-man is a top-31 D-man in the NHL.

An elite D-man is a top 15 D-man in the NHL.

Darnell Nurse is both.

 

[Czechboy]

I would argue that despite being a top 30 dman, he's not a #1 dman. Not all teams have a number 1 d-man.

I agree he's top 30 in the league. I think he's got a top 10 argument but I didn't realize every team had a legit stud?

To me... number 1 D would be a Norris type contender. Makar, Hedman, Pietrangelo, healthy Heiskanan, Fox.

I'm not sure he's in the group and I'm a big fan.

Using this logic, does that mean there are 31 number 1 goalies in the NHL too?

So, to answer the question (which seems to have been changed)...

is he a legit 1? no, he's a fantastic 2 on a cup winner
is he top 31 in the league? absolutely. I'd argue top 10.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

In a perfect World, he's a 2nd. In a stacked team, he's a 3rd.

He's in the "Petry Tier", but not as good as Petry himself

In what world would he be the 3rd best defenseman on a team? There's not a single team in the league with 2 defensemen better than Nurse

Not Tampa, Not Colorado, Not Vegas, Not Nashville, Not Minnesota- all of whom have very strong dcores

The only team with an argument is Carolina, and even then I'm not sure. This season I'd say he was stronger than Slavin, but historically that hasn't been the case so its hard to say, Hamilton is also on a very similar level

 

[CraigsList]

I think he’s proven himself to be one. Top 15D? I think I need to see another year of him dominate and I’d put him in the top 10. Right now he’s climbed the rankings from not being in my top 32 to now being #16/17.

 

[Spoilers]

I would argue that despite being a top 30 dman, he's not a #1 dman. Not all teams have a number 1 d-man.

By what metric? If he is near the top in essentially every category for D, that would make him a #1. The guy played over 50 minutes in the elimination game. Considering he is in the Norris conversation, calling him anything less than a #1 this year is ridiculous.

 

[Spoilers]

I agree he's top 30 in the league. I think he's got a top 10 argument but I didn't realize every team had a legit stud?

To me... number 1 D would be a Norris type contender. Makar, Hedman, Pietrangelo, healthy Heiskanan, Fox.

I'm not sure he's in the group and I'm a big fan.

Using this logic, does that mean there are 31 number 1 goalies in the NHL too?

So, to answer the question (which seems to have been changed)...

is he a legit 1? no, he's a fantastic 2 on a cup winner
is he top 31 in the league? absolutely. I'd argue top 10.

That’s some weird logic. For one, he is in Norris contention.

And yes for many years the Oilers haven’t had a true #1. Some teams don’t have one. This year he excelled and proved he is one.

A #2 is someone like Brodie. Nurse is far above that level.

 

[Raian]

No, Im not sure hes even a #2.

Ill wait to see if he replicates the covid season play during a real season in a real division

 

[McJesusSaves97]

He has been a legit #1 this year. I'm not sure how that would even be debatable. I do understand posters wanting to see more of it b4 declaring that he is one...