GDT: Oilers rookies @ Golden Bears | Puck drop at 7PM

[Replacement*]

If he gets tuned, he gets tuned, but I think he will be able to handle himself when he makes the jump. I don't see Darnell making the team just yet, when he's ready to, I would think he'll be ready to handle the physical side of the game. That's the hope anyway. He's fought some real tough guys, so he is capable in the fisticuffs, but it'll certainly be good for his overall physicality when he adds some more muscle to his frame.

I've watched every fight Nurse has had. Not as accomplished in fisticuffs as is being stated on this board.

Agreed that some time to bulk up and mature is only going to be a good thing. I don't want this kid rushed into the show. In an odd way his demeanor is similar to Arnott. A kid that certainly wanted to get in everybodies grill and who was a fantastic player and rookie but who got overwhelmed after around a year of taking on the NHL world. The Oilers did that to Arnott. It took him years to recover. Arnott was that kind of kid that thought he could take on any NHL guy and get in his face. It caught up to him. I love Arnott as well and no knocks, just saying.

So by comparing demeanors it should be clear I do not dislike Nurse in any way. He's a game kid, I get that. But he's still a kid in my eyes.

 

[Replacement*]

The latter explanation is what I was confused about. To me it read, "If you're going to be tough, do it against real NHL players. But don't do it against NHL players, as you'll fall hard." Just a very quick contradiction. Understood.

Now the former, you probably need to add to your expectations of Nurse this constant urge to be the tough/leader type of guy. He has a mean streak, and this type of play is what left a majority of us excited about what he can add when we drafted him. Otherwise, you may continue to be annoyed by his "antics", if you can even call them that.

No I'm fine with his antics overall. You misinterpreted. I just think if gets in the show he's stepping up into a different fight game and will get tagged bad.

Some of us are old enough to remember what happened to Willie Dewitt when his handlers accepted an ill-advised tilt with smoking Bert Cooper who they somehow thought would be another Tomato Can. The only thing Dewitt remembered after that fight is he better be doing something else for a living..

Nurse just strikes me as somebody that could get in over his head. jmo the team should take their time with him.

 

[jgoud*]

I've been very clear. I don't know how its confusing. By all means I have no difficulty with Nurse bringing physical play, elbows, hits whatever last night. But going up to guys half a dozen times trying to get a fight going in a match where your opponents are not allowed to fight is kind of lame.

As to my comments about Nurse in NHL play I think he's going to be fed his lunch quicker rather than later if he tries to get into it. That's jmo on how tough Nurse presently is. That's all.

You keep on ignoring the fact that guys were throwing punches at him after the whistle, running him and beaking him from the start. Most people don't care if someone is half their size, if they're getting punched or being provoked, they will punch back.

 

[Replacement*]

You keep on ignoring the fact that guys were throwing punches at him after the whistle, running him and beaking him from the start. Most people don't care if someone is half their size, if they're getting punched or being provoked, they will punch back.

Don't agree that this occurred. Difference between scrums and pushing around and getting clocked by somebody which didn't occur to my knowledge.

Bears are not a dirty club and I watch them a lot. people here are talking about the bears like they're a bunch of classless punks. Being a Bears fan I take some umbrage with that.

Bears are the best team in the nation and possibly last season had the best CIS team EVER. They beat opponents fair and square on the scoreboard and with solid system play not gooning. So perhaps deserving of more respect than it being said that they're a bunch of dirty thugs punching Nurse all night..

 

[Kulleroinen*]

Why do our prospects have to play against some crappy canadian beerleague clowns? ****ing stupid.

 

[Raab]

jebus people are talking Nurse up like he's take no prisoners King Kong out there. Frankly I don't see it. Guy picks his spots, even gets run, doesn't seem to intimidate anybody as far as I can see.

Couple years ago here people were talking Teubert up to monolith standards when it was obvious he was a complete posturing joke.

Not saying Nurse is that but I'm not seeing the tough guy act. I'm seeing a lot of selective action in one game.

To me Nurse looks like a young Laddy Smid, but we shall see.

 

[McGhostbuster]

The thing I like about Nurse is he's a guy willing to make the Burrows of the NHL hate their jobs.

And for last night. Things were equally chippy, with enough behind the play altercations. The Bears can't just hide behind their no fighting rule.

 

[doulos]

They talked about it during the game on air. The Bears play with more of a chip on their shoulder in this game because some of those guys used to be in their spot - battling at NHL prospect camps to try and make a team.

Nurse just showed them that they can't run around without consequences.

 

[Mr Forever]

To me Nurse looks like a young Laddy Smid, but we shall see.

Nurse is like, 10x the skater than Smid is/was/will ever be, so that's a pretty horrible comparison.

 

[sportsdynasty]

I think Darnell Nurse needs to make the team.

Klefbom will make the team before Nurse. Nurse needs at least one more season of development.

 

[Raab]

Nurse is like, 10x the skater than Smid is/was/will ever be, so that's a pretty horrible comparison.

Obviously you never seen Smid when he broke into the league. Was an excellent skater, but injuries took there toll on his body. Lets also remember the Smid was a top 10 selection as well.

 

[Tw0Shoes]

Nurse is like, 10x the skater than Smid is/was/will ever be, so that's a pretty horrible comparison.

Yeah, I don't know what you're talking about either. Smid was an awesome skater, just had no offensive instincts & didn't have a clue what to do once he got over the blueline so he'd skate it to the corner.

 

[Mr Forever]

Obviously you never seen Smid when he broke into the league. Was an excellent skater, but injuries took there toll on his body. Lets also remember the Smid was a top 10 selection as well.

Yes, I did. I seen him.

He was a fair skater. Nurse is a phenomenal skater. Smid was not.

 

[Oi'll say!]

I'm a fan of nurse being tough when he's 21 or 22. Not many guys are like mike Tyson where they are ready to beat up other professional athletes at 19.

If he thinks he's going to step out of the chl and maintain the level of authority he had over the 16-19 yr old major junior crowd he's going to get concussed and that's a terrible thing for a developing brain. You can't compare the toughness of a 25 year old Luke gazdic to anything that nurse ever faced in junior. It will be lights out.

 

[Raab]

Yes, I did. I seen him.

He was a fair skater. Nurse is a phenomenal skater. Smid was not.

Sorry to tell you but your remembering wrong. Here's a scouting report if you don't believe me.


Ladislav Smid, Defense, 9th overall (1st round)
Ladislav Smid was ranked fourth among European Skaters by Central
Scouting
and was the top ranked international defenseman. A Czech native, he is
the
first European drafted by Anaheim with their first rounder since the
departure of former GM Pierre Gauthier two year ago. Given the team’s
lack
of quality depth on the blueline, Smid is a safe pick. He may not be a
high-risk, high-reward prospect, but he should still develop into a top
pairing defender. One NHL scout told Hockey’s Future before the draft that Smid was the
best
defenseman he had seen from Europe. He was highly sought at the draft;
if
rumors are true, he was New York Islanders’ GM Mike Milbury’s much
heralded
sleeper pick.

An NHL scout described Smid to Hockey’s Future as “a little bit of
everything.†Smid’s style of play, with his sound positioning and
smooth
skating has been compared to Niklas Lidstrom, although Smid probably
won’t
be as successful as the Detroit Red Wings rearguard. Meanwhile, his
offensive upside is similar to that of Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner,
Tomas
Kaberle. Smid had 1 goal and 1 assist in 45 games with HC Bili Tygri
Liberec
last season. His statistics don’t necessarily reflect his scoring
capabilities because Smid is playing in the top Czech League. At 6’3″,
220
pounds, Smid has good size but he doesn’t play the body much. Instead,
he
uses his positioning and vision to play a solid game in his own end.

“He
sees the ice unbelievably, can head man the puck beautifully, has the
passing touch and has patience and a good stick,†an NHL scout told
Hockey’s Future. Another scout summed it up by saying “He’s just very
efficient. He’s an excellent defenseman.â€

Smid will return to the Czech Republic for the 2004-05 season and is
expected to move to North America for the following season. He should
begin to contribute on an NHL level in two years time.


Smid was a great skater when he first came to the Oilers. Nurse I'd say is more physical then Smid was at that age but the rest of his game seems similar. Hopefully Nurse's offence will translate better then Smid's but like I said we shall see.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Yeah, Smid was actually a pretty great skater in his first few years in Edmonton. I remember his ability to bring the puck into the zone with ease, but then he'd make an ill-fated pass or just lose it to a defender.

It was pretty annoying.

 

[Replacement*]

I'm a fan of nurse being tough when he's 21 or 22. Not many guys are like mike Tyson where they are ready to beat up other professional athletes at 19.

If he thinks he's going to step out of the chl and maintain the level of authority he had over the 16-19 yr old major junior crowd he's going to get concussed and that's a terrible thing for a developing brain. You can't compare the toughness of a 25 year old Luke gazdic to anything that nurse ever faced in junior. It will be lights out.

Theres an echo in here.

 

[Up the Irons]

To me Nurse looks like a young Laddy Smid, but we shall see.

What? Well, with respect, I profoundly disagree.

I'll go out on a limb, and u can diss me someday if I'm wrong, but I shall declare that Darnell Nurse will be twice the Dman Smid ever was/is by his second season.

If Nurse was forced on the team this year, he'd be better then Smid by the trade deadline.

 

[McGoMcD]

What? Well, with respect, I profoundly disagree.

I'll go out on a limb, and u can diss me someday if I'm wrong, but I shall declare that Darnell Nurse will be twice the Dman Smid ever was/is by his second season.

If Nurse was forced on the team this year, he'd be better then Smid by the trade deadline.

WEll for one Nurse is a way better skater. Also not a bad thing, Smid looked great for a while. I really think his lack of foot speed killed him. Nurse is a much better skater.

 

[HeavyHitter99]

When Smid was a prospect and Nurse's age he was a fantastic skater and was a top prospect in the league... Maybe Nurse is a better skater but it's not by much.

And yes I know Smid's skating is not so good anymore

 

[Raab]

WEll for one Nurse is a way better skater. Also not a bad thing, Smid looked great for a while. I really think his lack of foot speed killed him. Nurse is a much better skater.

It was lack of offence and injuries that killed Smid nothing else. Lets remember that as little as two years ago Smid was looked at as a solid #3 dman. When he was first drafted people seen him as a potential top pairing guy.

 

[McGoMcD]

It was lack of offence and injuries that killed Smid nothing else. Lets remember that as little as two years ago Smid was looked at as a solid #3 dman. When he was first drafted people seen him as a potential top pairing guy.

Sure, but his lack of offence came from his lack of foot speed. He was solid positionally and strong, but moved the puck up at the pace of mud. Injuries too, Agree there.

 

[Raab]

Sure, but his lack of offence came from his lack of foot speed. He was solid positionally and strong, but moved the puck up at the pace of mud. Injuries too, Agree there.

His lack of offence came from a pathetic shot and low end offensive IQ. IMO Nurse has a slightly better shot and a bit better offensive IQ. I still wonder if he'll be able to put up more then 20 points at the NHL level though.

 

[Replacement*]

It was lack of offence and injuries that killed Smid nothing else. Lets remember that as little as two years ago Smid was looked at as a solid #3 dman. When he was first drafted people seen him as a potential top pairing guy.

Agreed and that being thrown to the wolves as a physical D on a non physical club and being expected to do much of that lifting ended up with Smid being targeted a whole lot. I'd wonder how many concussions at this point. Laddy has aged a whole lot. Lot of mileage in a short time.

This is the trouble with this team. You can't just have a few physical players and the rest of a lineup thinking that physical play isn't even in their job description. That's the quickest way to disaster for anybody assuming that position..

 

[McGoMcD]

His lack of offence came from a pathetic shot and low end offensive IQ. IMO Nurse has a slightly better shot and a bit better offensive IQ. I still wonder if he'll be able to put up more then 20 points at the NHL level though.

lol, you really like to argue. I think he had decent hockey IQ, he was just slow man. Couldn't move the puck up the ice fast enough to ever be involved in any offense.