Where do you rank our top 4?

[Chef de Cuisine]

Assuming all are back on track, however vague that is

Klefbom Larsson
Sekera ?Nurse?

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[McFlyingV]

10-15 with the chance to break into the top 10 imo. I think when Klef and Lars are playing like they showed last year, and if Nurse can play like he has to start this year then they break into the top 10 with a healthy Sekera.

To me Klef and Larsson are both very good #2's when on their game, and Klef has the ability to look like a #1 for stretches. Sekera is a very good #3, and Nurse is playing like a very good #4 bordering on #3 atm.

 

[thalegion]

Top 3, we don't have a top 4 so prolly 16 to 20.

Edit: I agree if we can get consistent early season Nurse from now on I would say we have 4 legit top 4 D men.

 

[shoop]

To me Klef and Larsson are both very good #2's when on their game, and Klef has the ability to look like a #1 for stretches. Sekera is a very good #3, and Nurse is playing like a very good #4 bordering on #3 atm.

Are there 31 defencemen in the league better than Larsson?

 

[McFlyingV]

Are there 31 defencemen in the league better than Larsson?

I'm not using the definition of 1 #1D per team. Don't really feel like arguing semantics either.

 

[McShogun99]

Don't you mean Klefbom-Larsson, Russel-Bennett?

Bottom third...

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

I'm not even going to vote on this poll... and I always vote on polls

 

[shoop]

I'm not using the definition of 1 #1D per team. Don't really feel like arguing semantics either.

Oh well, that's message boards if you are gonna make statements like the Oilers having no 1D.

There are 31 eams in the league. Gotta be 31 #1D.

I think there are a number of teams that Larsson would be the 1D on in the league.

 

[McFlyingV]

Oh well, that's message boards if you are gonna make statements like the Oilers having no 1D.

There are 31 eams in the league. Gotta be 31 #1D.

I think there are a number of teams that Larsson would be the 1D on in the league.

Call him whatever you'd like. He's not an above average #1D by your criteria, which by mine is a #2, and a very good one at that.

 

[Aerchon]

Sekera is a #2 when playing his natural side. At worst a #3 imo.

Klefbom is all over the map but basically the same.

If Larsson manages to put up 40 points he would be a legit #1. But that really doesn't look to be in the cards for him so he also is in the #2/3 category.

Russell on either side is a solid #4/5.

Nurse is fringing upon being a solid #4/5.

Benning ditto to Nurse and Russell.

So I put our top 4 when healthy as 10-15. If this was about our top 6 I would actually think we would be just making the top 9.

 

[SK13]

With Sekera: They've got three good defenseman who probably all qualify as 2/3s. Often Klefbom will flash as something better. Sekera is consistent and well rounded and Larsson is a terrific complimentary defenseman with edge. After that, they've got three to five 5-6-7's playing more than they should be.

With Sekera: The group is probably somewhere around the 20/31 slot. Without: It's a bottom five defense in the NHL.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

12 no more no less

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

With Sekera: They've got three good defenseman who probably all qualify as 2/3s. Often Klefbom will flash as something better. Sekera is consistent and well rounded and Larsson is a terrific complimentary defenseman with edge. After that, they've got three to five 5-6-7's playing more than they should be.

With Sekera: The group is probably somewhere around the 20/31 slot. Without: It's a bottom five defense in the NHL.

Agree with the top part 100%, 3 number 2 or 3 defenceman is what we have, along with a bunch of 5/6/7 playing higher. That's with Sekera.
If Nurse keeps up his play he's 2nd pairing for sure, he used to piss me off but this year I don't seem to swear at him as much

Disagree with your numbers in the bottom though, even without Sekera I think we make top 20 (not that that's a feat)

 

[SK13]

Agree with the top part 100%, 3 number 2 or 3 defenceman is what we have, along with a bunch of 5/6/7 playing higher. That's with Sekera.
If Nurse keeps up his play he's 2nd pairing for sure, he used to piss me off but this year I don't seem to swear at him as much

Disagree with your numbers in the bottom though, even without Sekera I think we make top 20 (not that that's a feat)

It's hard to really say because Talbot and an outlier of a top-line swing possession and cover a lot of warts. I have liked Nurse better this year but he's always been a flashy/swingy type player and I need to see more of it.

The D-corps itself is well below average IMO. It just doesn't exist in a vacuum.

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

It's hard to really say because Talbot and an outlier of a top-line swing possession and cover a lot of warts. I have liked Nurse better this year but he's always been a flashy/swingy type player and I need to see more of it.

The D-corps itself is well below average IMO. It just doesn't exist in a vacuum.

We're almost splitting hairs, I say average, you say below average. The biggest point is the 3 2/3D and the rest 5/6/7 with Nurse as a wildcard

 

[shoop]

Sekera is a #2 when playing his natural side. At worst a #3 imo.

Klefbom is all over the map but basically the same.

If Larsson manages to put up 40 points he would be a legit #1. But that really doesn't look to be in the cards for him so he also is in the #2/3 category.

Russell on either side is a solid #4/5.

Nurse is fringing upon being a solid #4/5.

Benning ditto to Nurse and Russell.

So I put our top 4 when healthy as 10-15. If this was about our top 6 I would actually think we would be just making the top 9.

Nurse is on the fringe of being a solid 4? Tough audience.

If he keeps up his play from the early part of the season he can easily be a #3. Nurse/Sekera is a really good second pairing.

Russell/Benning could be a decent third pairing.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Nurse is looking great. Also some very solid play from Klef and Lars. I'd say around 13-15ish.

 

[StevenF1919]

Klefbom: Was a #1 last year, not so much this season. Hopefully he returns to form.
Larsson: Good #3. Lacks the puck moving and offensive ability to be a true top pair guy but works well with Klefbom and rarely has a bad game.
Sekera: Good #3, maybe even a top pair guy after his season last year. His offensive skills are underrated and he might be one of the best 3on3 players in the league.
Russell: #5-6 guy who offers nothing outside of being able to eat minutes. Useless at anything that doesn't involve blocking shots.

Nurse is looking like a legit 2nd pairing guy. He's really impressed me this year and if he keeps this up I'll definitely be eating crow for doubting him this summer. If Klefbom returns to form and Sekera recovers from his injury they've got a pretty decent top 4. In their current state I'd say they're in the bottom half of the league and they really lack an offensive RHD. Wish we could somehow dump 4x4 and acquire someone like Barrie.

 

[snipes]

Healthy Sekera middle of the pack.

Nurse has really grown this year maybe upper middle of the pack with healthy Sekera and Nurse playing the way he is.

 

[Bank Shot]

Lets look at who has a better top four:

LA-Doughty alone puts them over us.
Ottawa-Karlsson. Ditto.
Minnesota-Suter, Spurgeon, yup.
SJ-Burns and Vlasic. No brainer.
Chicago-Keith and Seabrook.
Nashville....
Calgary- I think their D is overated but its still better than ours.
Anaheim-They are better as well.
Columbus-better
St.Louis-No brainer
Tampa Bay- easy for them
Carolina. I think so

What about Rangers, Bruins, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Capitals?

I think Edmonton healthy is 15th at the very best and more likely somewhere around 20ish.

I'm surprised at all the 10-15 votes. I dont see anyway that you could call the Oilers top 4 top ten given the other competition in the league.

If given the choice between 10-20 and 15-25, I think the second is more accurate.

 

[Aerrol]

Lets look at who has a better top four:

LA-Doughty alone puts them over us.
Ottawa-Karlsson. Ditto.
Minnesota-Suter, Spurgeon, yup.
SJ-Burns and Vlasic. No brainer.
Chicago-Keith and Seabrook.
Nashville....
Calgary- I think their D is overated but its still better than ours.
Anaheim-They are better as well.
Columbus-better
St.Louis-No brainer
Tampa Bay- easy for them
Carolina. I think so

What about Rangers, Bruins, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Capitals?

I think Edmonton healthy is 15th at the very best and more likely somewhere around 20ish.

I'm surprised at all the 10-15 votes. I dont see anyway that you could call the Oilers top 4 top ten given the other competition in the league.

If given the choice between 10-20 and 15-25, I think the second is more accurate.

I'd say when healthy we're better than Caps and Montreal, maybe Rangers and Bruins, and fairly close to the pens. That would put us cleanly in the 10-15 range, and I think most people who voted the same as me would agree.

Sekera is a really good dman, with him our d core looks completely different IMO.

 

[KarmaPolice]

With a healthy Sekera, I'd say it's easily top 15. Hell, just look at the Capitals D tonight. Most teams don't have a ton of depth (except Nashville and Vegas, hording all their Dmen, of course). Might even be top 10-12 ish if Sekera comes back in top or near top form (unlikely, but you never know).

Or maybe I'm being a homer. I have the flu, so too lazy to look up D depth on all of the teams. Would rather sleep.

 

[Aerchon]

Nurse is on the fringe of being a solid 4? Tough audience.

If he keeps up his play from the early part of the season he can easily be a #3. Nurse/Sekera is a really good second pairing.

Russell/Benning could be a decent third pairing.

I honestly have not been paying attention to him/his match ups that much but despite how good he has played I have assumed his quality of competition has still been a bit too low to hearald him a true top 4 defenseman yet. Small sample size and still limited offense... Seems too early for too much congratulations for Nurse.

Also, Sekera is more #2 when playing his left side and more a #3 on his off side. Biggest problem with Nurse is he is a leftie.

 

[Bank Shot]

I'd say when healthy we're better than Caps and Montreal, maybe Rangers and Bruins, and fairly close to the pens. That would put us cleanly in the 10-15 range, and I think most people who voted the same as me would agree.

Sekera is a really good dman, with him our d core looks completely different IMO.

I'm not sure we would ever be cleanly in the 10-15 range. Is our D-core better than Winnipeg?

What about Arizona? Despite their team being hot garbage on the ice this year, their top 4 defence looks very good and I think they would perform quite well in fromt of Talbot and behind Mcdavid.

Lots of teams I didn't list that also have good players.

I really don't see how we are anything but in the mushy middle.

 

[Aerrol]

I'm not sure we would ever be cleanly in the 10-15 range. Is our D-core better than Winnipeg?

What about Arizona? Despite their team being hot garbage on the ice this year, their top 4 defence looks very good and I think they would perform quite well in fromt of Talbot and behind Mcdavid.

Lots of teams I didn't list that also have good players.

I really don't see how we are anything but in the mushy middle.

I'm also quite surprised by Arizona's start, but given their lack of overall success over many years I'm going to have to take a 'believe it when I see it' approach to their defence. Winnipeg's defence is overrated imo. As bad as their goalies have been, their team coughs up chances all day. I'd only take Trouba, Buff or Myers on our team from their D, and Buff is super unreliable defensively while Myers is always hurt.

Our D is really missing an offensive element but is generally quite good defensively when healthy.