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

[OilTastic]

His team and Nurse did get run last night. Repeatedly. What deterrent effect did Nurse have?

What Golden Bear player was shaking in his skates going. "Oh no, Darnell Nurse!"

Maybe at some point this guy ends up being some kind of intimidating factor but lets just say he's not there yet playing against men. Which is fine, he's young.

But myself I think he's not ready to be any kind of deterring effect in the NHL squaring off in the touch WC.

Best thing the Oilers could do is give this kid some more time to develop before he gets his bell rung bad.

That said Nurse is a lot brighter than Teubert, I give him that hands down..

^no Golden Bear was shaking in his skates because they know they won't be facing him again this season. and I personally don't feel that Nurse is intimidating at the moment, but has a chance down the road to be like that, but not because of his fists, he's 19 and lost his cool at that game is all, but in the future he could very well have opposing players thinking they have to face Nurse if he plays a smart, disciplined game, hits hard, plays well defensively, scores his fair share of goals and points....i'm hoping for a Scott Stevens type that played this way and drove opposing players, goons and all, nuts! but i agree he's not there yet.

 

[Raab]

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.

For a slow guy it's amazing that he was able to skate the puck out of the zone past 3 opposing forwards to create odd man rushes the other way. Laddy could skate, anyone saying he couldn't is remembering wrong.

Here's a thread from this very board that also says his skating was a strength. http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=422835

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

why are you guys arguing with a guy who called Nurse the biggest draft bust of his draft year?

 

[Raab]

why are you guys arguing with a guy who called Nurse the biggest draft bust of his draft year?

He was a stupid pick for an organization that was/is loaded with LHD and lacking centers, and RHD. I always maintained he would play in the NHL, what I didn't agree with is that he'll be a top pairing guy that Stauffer is trying to tell us he'll be. My best guess is he's a number 3, worst case scenario he's a bottom pairing guy. I think within 3-5 years we'll be wishing we would have taken Horvat or Ristolainen but what do I know.

 

[McGoMcD]

For a slow guy it's amazing that he was able to skate the puck out of the zone past 3 opposing forwards to create odd man rushes the other way. Laddy could skate, anyone saying he couldn't is remembering wrong.

Here's a thread from this very board that also says his skating was a strength. http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=422835

I am not remember wrong, his mobility was good. his speed was slow. Any one who said he was fast at any point was wrong. He was not fast, he was slow. His mobility use to be good and got worse. I will agree there.

 

[Aceboogie]

He was a stupid pick for an organization that was/is loaded with LHD and lacking centers, and RHD. I always maintained he would play in the NHL, what I didn't agree with is that he'll be a top pairing guy that Stauffer is trying to tell us he'll be. My best guess is he's a number 3, worst case scenario he's a bottom pairing guy. I think within 3-5 years we'll be wishing we would have taken Horvat or Ristolainen but what do I know.

Risto maybe, but Horvat? Come on man. Even canucks fans would laugh at that

 

[Raab]

Risto maybe, but Horvat? Come on man. Even canucks fans would laugh at that

Go ask them, I find it hard to believe there's that much of a gap right now between Horvat and Nurse. On top of that how nice would it look a year or two from now if our centers were RNH-Draisaitl-Horvat? That would be amazing depth for once.

 

[Aceboogie]

Go ask them, I find it hard to believe there's that much of a gap right now between Horvat and Nurse. On top of that how nice would it look a year or two from now if our centers were RNH-Draisaitl-Horvat? Thats would be amazing depth for once.

Horvat had a disappointing chl year. Followed by bad prospect, all while being a reach pick. He will top out as 2c. So no, having him play 3c doesnt excite me, I'd rather have a top pairing D. I don't know about you but top pairing D>>> 3c

 

[Raab]

Horvat had a disappointing chl year. Followed by bad prospect, all while being a reach pick. He will top out as 2c. So no, having him play 3c doesnt excite me, I'd rather have a top pairing D. I don't know about you but top pairing D>>> 3c

Nurse top pairing dman And how did Horvat have a disappointing year exactly? To me he projects to be a center similar to Kesler or Richards. Would be excellent as a 3rd liner who can fill in as a 2 C when needed. Nurse has a LONG way to go before he should be mentioned in the same breath as top pairing dman.

 

[Aceboogie]

Nurse top pairing dman And how did Horvat have a disappointing year exactly? To me he projects to be a center similar to Kesler or Richards. Would be excellent as a 3rd liner who can fill in as a 2 C when needed. Nurse has a LONG way to go before he should be mentioned in the same breath as top pairing dman.

Tell that to the numerous scouting agencies that have him as a top pairing D. Maybe you should tell them they are all wrong

Horvat got 74 points this season, far lower than Richards, or even Hanzal. Calling Horvat the next Kesler is like calling Nurse the next weber

 

[Raab]

Tell that to the numerous scouting agencies that have him as a top pairing D. Maybe you should tell them they are all wrong

Horvat got 74 points this season, far lower than Richards, or even Hanzal. Calling Horvat the next Kesler is like calling Nurse the next weber

Please show me all these scouting agencies. Because that may be his top end potential but he'll be hard pressed to hit it. And going by your rationalization that Jordan Staal guy must suck.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Most I think would have taken either Nichushkin or Nurse in that draft.. those were the two most obvious picks at that point. I was on the Nichushkin bandwagon but Nurse obviously could develop into a very solid dman... most likely he'll get another year in Junior but his skating and physical abilities are NHL level imo... he just needs to pull it all together and that's something that can take dmen a few years.

 

[Soundwave]

D is still the biggest organizational weakness long term, we had to use one of our higher picks on a D-Man IMO. Even though I liked Nichushkin too, I think Nurse was the right pick for the organization. You can't build a winner by continually drafting wings.

 

[McAsuno]

We get it Raab. You don't like Nurse. Bickering the same over and over.

 

[Aceboogie]

Please show me all these scouting agencies. Because that may be his top end potential but he'll be hard pressed to hit it. And going by your rationalization that Jordan Staal guy must suck.

No he doesn't, but give me E. Johnston or Seabrook over him all day

 

[oilers92]

didnt nurse's gm say he was the best player he had had on his team? he might know a few things also hes still quite lean for his size let him bulk up and he will be scary to play against

 

[ScrillaVilla]

didnt nurse's gm say he was the best player he had had on his team? he might know a few things also hes still quite lean for his size let him bulk up and he will be scary to play against

I think that its best to reserve judgment on the player until we can get some data on performance. I mean, what do we have right now, some anecdotes from the coach and a bunch of useless scouting reports? Jeesh, talk about jumping here. That's not @oilers92, just the willingness of some posters to either pedestal or plunger the player. He appears to have some skill, only time will tell.

 

[rasarhdasd]

The Greyhounds are known to be big users of analytics and if the GM said Nurse was playing some of the toughest minutes on the team and as a result, one of the best players than I'm not worrying too much about Nurse.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

We get it Raab. You don't like Nurse. Bickering the same over and over.

No kidding. When Nurse makes it, I can't wait to plaster that stupid quote every chance I get.

 

[Raab]

No he doesn't, but give me E. Johnston or Seabrook over him all day

Nurse isn't Seabrook or Johnston, he is more in the mold of Jason Smith, Barret Jackman, etc.... A rough and tumble dman who will put up 20-30 points if his offence translates. Which is still a very valuable player but the way some of you are talking you'd think he's the second coming of Pronger. IMO he's a #3 dman on a good team unless his development really takes a huge spike and he starts thinking the game on an entirely different level. If his offence doesnt translate we have another Laddy Smid.

 

[nexttothemoon]

A big, physical dman who's solid defensively and who can put up 20-30 pts is indeed a very valuable commodity.

Sounds somewhat like Johnny Boychuk... who has scored between 15-23 pts in 4 of his past 5 seasons and most of us would gladly take Boychuk on this team.

 

[voxel]

I am not remember wrong, his mobility was good. his speed was slow. Any one who said he was fast at any point was wrong. He was not fast, he was slow. His mobility use to be good and got worse. I will agree there.

Fast, no. Slow, absolutely not.

Nurse reminds me a LOT of Smid except Nurse seems to have a bit more offensive IQ and shoots. Smid was a stick in his rookie season. I feel we ruined Smid's development by overwhelming him so early and that's why I don't want to rush Nurse nor LD.

 

[dustrock]

Remember that play Nurse made in preseason last year? Me too. Smid could never do that.

 

[SK13]

Also, Brent Seabrook wasn't Brent Seabrook when he was Darnell Nurse's age.

He also wasn't a clear cut better offensive player at the CHL level.

D is still the biggest organizational weakness long term, we had to use one of our higher picks on a D-Man IMO.

I think there was plenty of logic in picking Darnell Nurse in that hole. I think he'll be a good one, and all the data suggests the same.

From here on out, I do not think defense is the biggest organizational weakness. The teams biggest issue is legitimate top pairing NHL defenseman, and we passed the point where that should come out of the draft before we drafted Nurse, IMO. We don't have time to draft and develop, we have to turn the corner during the Hall contract: The earlier, the better. That means improving to the point where we can hard target defenseman that become available via trade.

With Klefbom, Nurse, Marincin and Schultz leading a class that includes Simpson, Musil, Gernat, etc we have lots of depth, high end and mid-range at D. Outside of the NHL, I actually think our biggest weakness is at wing.

 

[Oi'll say!]

Theres an echo in here.

Lol, not surprisingly. We seem to agree on a lo of things around here.