The Nuge
Some say…
Last few posts
I hope he starts in NHL.
Because if he does it means that Chia and McLelland thinks he should, and I am very inclined to trust their judgement.
At the end of the day though I think the best bet is that he does spend some time in the AHL during the year. That being said, I'd be very surprised if he is not able to earn at least 30-40 games with the Oilers over the course of the season.
I really hope both Draisatl and Nurse spend the whole year in the AHL.
Maybe they could play in the NHL, maybe they can't but to keep them down that extra year so that when they make it, they make it emphatically... Wow, what a change that would be from the Lowe years.
I disagree a little bit. Nurse I think is too good, unless we sign 3 or 4 top 6 defensemen this off season, we would benefit from his help. Sure give him some time in the AHL maybe to acclimatize him to the pro game... but if his playoff stint was any indication, he might already be too good for the AHL. 4 points in 4 games with a +3 on a losing team. To me, his numbers scream top pairing NHLer, and there's no reason to keep a guy like that off the roster into his 20s.
Draisaitl on the otherhand... I can see there's a mountain of potential there. But I'd like to see him achieve his junior numbers in pro. And if that means starting out in a lower league, let's do that and bring him up once he shows he can do it. And if that means a full season, then a full season it is... there is beginning to be a bit of a log jam at center anyways.
I tried to watch as much memorial cup and WHL playoffs as I could, and as a big Kelowna Rockets fan, I think the Kelowna team that lost to Quebec was just rusty. Then they looked a bit tentative for the first 35 minutes of the Oshawa game. If I could bet money on a 7 game series between Oshawa and Kelowna, I'd go with Kelowna. Oshawa plays a very good team, and has some decent threats, but I don't think their goal-scoring threat is on the same level as Kelowna. They did a good job of shutting down single threat teams like the Erie Otters, and did an excellent job neutralizing Kelowna's top line in their first meeting in the Memorial Cup but Kelowna just has so much more depth than Erie. I think Kelowna will make the necessary adjustments and take the cup.
I have a hard time seeing Nurse play the whole year in the AHL. From everything I've seen of him recently, he's just too good for that. Assuming he comes in at like 215 and plays the way he's capable of playing, you'd have to think he plays half in each league at worst.
This could change if Chiarelli magically reworks the d-corps to a point where there's just no room for Nurse yet, but that's pretty hard to see. Especially with injures and such where Nurse would probably be the #1 D callup.
That would mean that Nurse only puts on 3 pounds in the 5 months between seasons while I would be fine with that I am certainly hoping it would be closer to 5-6 pounds if he possibly can which would sit him at 217-18 so he would be a pretty big guy already.
He's a listed 205 and I'm hoping he can get to 215.
He had an interview before the Erie otters series where he told Stauffer or whoever it was that he was currently weighing in at 212.
Edit: we have had a full discussion about his weight when he said that in one of the Nurse threads I believe and what we think his ideal weight to be.
Edit2: http://www.saultstar.com/2015/04/22/nurse-taking-his-role-very-seriously That is the link outlining his weight.
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