What to do with Nurse?

[frag2]

Nurse is a prime example of that saying "all the tools but no tool box"

If he had some spatial awareness, he'd be borderline top pairing.
Strange how last year, the first 30 ish games, he looked like he was getting there and then it came crashing down.

 

[The Hound]

I love his nastiness, and understand that it takes D more years to develop, but his hockey IQ is worrying. Trade him before the expansion if he doesn’t improve.

 

[JayE]

He's been in poor form most of the year, but how anyone could look at this team now and think they can afford to lose a young LHD with a history of playing top 4 minutes (he was the best defenseman on the team for extended periods of last season) is beyond me. If we were Nashville, maybe, but this team has nowhere near the talent and depth on defense to think about getting rid of Nurse at the moment.

 

[Messrules11]

He hasn’t been great this year but trading him could seriously backfire. He has a mean streak in him that’s lacking with most if not all our defence. He’s still young and gives an honest effort, I think there’s a good player here just needs more time and coaching

 

[Coffey]

I didn't believe other teams when they said he is stupid on the ice. And I agree now.

 

[nexttothemoon]

You all do realize that Nurse as as many ES pts this year as these dmen (from NHL.com):

Fowler 9
Ellis 9
Lindholm 9
Hanifin 9
Dahlin 9
Klefbom 9
Werenski 9
Dumba 9
Karlsson 9
Yandle 9


Sure he hasn't been as good defensively as last year... but he's #25 in the NHL in minutes per game among dmen at ES and a lot of those minutes were obviously from earlier in the year when the team in general (and Talbot) were playing less than great as well.

This team is still finding it's way defensively and he'll rise with that tide as well.

Here's a list of the top dmen in the NHL this year in shots at ES (from corsica.hockey)...

Karlsson 76
Burns 75
Hamilton 75
Letang 74
Klefbom 74
Josi 68
Nurse 66
Chabot 66
Rielly 63
Theodore 58
Boychuk 57
Dumba 57
Johnson 56
Carlson 56
Giordano 56


Let's not also forget that Nurse has had the lowest offensive ozone start % on the team among the dmen so far this year at just 30.02%

His TOI% QOC which is one of the best indicators of quality of competition is 3rd toughest among the dmen... only Larsson/Klefbom have faced tougher... but Klefbom and Larsson have higher TOI% QOT which helps compensate for that tougher competition.

Nurse has a 29.27 TOI% QOC and a 28.32 TOI% QOT... so you can see his ES playing time is bent in favour of facing tougher competition than his teammates may be able to help compensate for.



All in all... context shows that his numbers... considering his ice time, levels of competition and teammates may not be as awful as they first appear.

I'm not saying he's having a good season but some of the underlying stats do help explain why his performance may be down this year so far as well.

 

[quickfeet]

Why is this a poll? Sign him for 8 years at 5 million aav and a NMC.

 

[ZJuice]

Nurse is now our Number 1 defenseman.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Nurse is now our Number 1 defenseman.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Nurse is now our Number 1 defenseman.

*

 

[Up the Irons]

i say keep him. he'll be a solid top 4, and so far under Hitchcock, he's been looking good.

 

[Magnum23]

Not sure why he doesn't hit anymore. Frustrating to see him going for the pin all the time.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

I think Nurse could be better on the powerplay than Klefbom has been. His skating and game are suited to a more offensive style he just needs more guidance.

 

[fuswald]

Not sure why he doesn't hit anymore. Frustrating to see him going for the pin all the time.

I've noticed his speed is down quite a bit. Used to be one of our fastest players but regularly gets out raced to the puck.

 

[Cypress]

This piling on nurse is really coming to a head eh? Do we expect our players to be perfect or something? I've noticed him out of position a few times, but he is one of our more solid defenseman and we don't have anyone to replace him with. I'd be open to trading him for the right piece, but lean towards keeping him. Moving him doesn't really open up space for a top 6 winger anyway with his current cap hit. He's one of our young defenseman and I'd rather wait and see as I think his shortcoming can potentially be coached out of him with time. I don't think he's been bad overall and I'm not sure why so many are taking such issue with him.

 

[Sweetpotato]

This piling on nurse is really coming to a head eh? Do we expect our players to be perfect or something? I've noticed him out of position a few times, but he is one of our more solid defenseman and we don't have anyone to replace him with. I'd be open to trading him for the right piece, but lean towards keeping him. Moving him doesn't really open up space for a top 6 winger anyway with his current cap hit. He's one of our young defenseman and I'd rather wait and see as I think his shortcoming can potentially be coached out of him with time. I don't think he's been bad overall and I'm not sure why so many are taking such issue with him.

+1

Young d isn't perfect so we think he's terrible. Him, Klef, Larson and Bouchard should be kept a good long time they're all on or will be on good contracts and are solid and still developing. Hitch and Yawney will be good for them all.

 

[BudBundy]

Does nothing about the past bloody decade plus remind people how difficult it is to find and retain quality D?? Nurse isnt perfect, but he is a good middle pairing D with a load of intangibles and a ceiling he still likely hasn’t quite reached. The bitchin’ and moanin’ about him is stupid.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

This piling on nurse is really coming to a head eh? Do we expect our players to be perfect or something? I've noticed him out of position a few times, but he is one of our more solid defenseman and we don't have anyone to replace him with. I'd be open to trading him for the right piece, but lean towards keeping him. Moving him doesn't really open up space for a top 6 winger anyway with his current cap hit. He's one of our young defenseman and I'd rather wait and see as I think his shortcoming can potentially be coached out of him with time. I don't think he's been bad overall and I'm not sure why so many are taking such issue with him.

I think I noticed him out of position 3 times just last night (I'll give him some kudos for his offensive play last night), IMO the criticism is warranted he hasn't been playing well and if you look at the GF% of Kris Russell and Benning with and without him he seems to be having a negative effect on both. While it remains to be seen how Gravel would perform against stiffer competition, I'd say Klefbom, Larsson, Russel, and Gravel have outperformed him on the season and while I'd put him infront of Benning, Benning's game is in a much better place right now then it was earlier in the season and I see him gaining on Nurse of late.

Maybe it's just me, but with Hitch's system and structure you tend to notice when someone screws up pretty easily and Nurse seems to be the main culprit on a good chunk of our significant defensive breakdowns. As I've said before I do believe Nurse is capable of turning it around, but I don't believe in sugar coating his poor play.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I think Nurse could be better on the powerplay than Klefbom has been. His skating and game are suited to a more offensive style he just needs more guidance.

He could find a way to ice it from the point i'm sure

 

[MinimaMoralia]

His regression is totally open to criticism. He’s not getting any younger, and makes the same dumb mistakes he always has. I get he’s part of the core, and he’ll be a decent middle pairing defenceman for a while yet, and luckily it doesn’t look like he’s going to need much of a raise. However, it’s disappointing after he spent the summer at a skills camp, and they brought in Yawney and Hitch, and he’s still the only blueliner who is struggling mightily. Benning is outplaying him ffs. I’m most disheartened by his lack of physicality. I think that Polak thing got to him.

 

[Jet Walters]

He looked good on the 1st unit PP last night. He certainly has a history of being able to log big minutes too. We are going to need him to step up his game if the HitchTrain is going to keep on chuggin.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He looked good on the 1st unit PP last night. He certainly has a history of being able to log big minutes too. We are going to need him to step up his game if the HitchTrain is going to keep on chuggin.

Agreed, let's look at the positives. He looked his best offensively this season last night. With Klefbom out we will see someone else step into that PP1 role, it's something than Nurse has coveted, he couldn't ask for a better opportunity right now IMO.

 

[AM]

Looks to me like he is coming along.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I bet ,during this stretch without Klefbom, Nurse will impress us and will play good. He plays better when he has more time on the ice. It's how he played in junior. Also, yes he often makes stupid mistakes on the ice and even I hate him sometimes, but he's also 4 points behind our leading point producer on Defense and he leads us in goals by a Defense men. So let's see what he does. It's his opportunity. It's up to him to make a difference

 

[sepHF]

He's 23 guys, relax. Nurse is coming along just fine.