After being 60 minutes from their first Stanley Cup celebration in 34 years, the Edmonton Oiler defence is in a state of flux with Cody Ceci traded and Vincent Desharnais gone in free-agency but the blueline alterations will be less if Darnell Nurse gets back to being Darnell Nurse.
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard are an A-plus first pair.
But Nurse, who was +26 in 2022-23, the first year of his $9.25 million AAV cap hit, but only +3 last season, with Ceci, Desharnais, Brett Kulak and finally Philip Broberg as partners, definitely has to rebound to anchor the second D tag-team and maybe teach the right-shot Ty Emberson, who came from San Jose in the Ceci deal.
If Nurse doesn’t play better, Captain Obvious, the Oilers are in trouble.
“He’ll be good, he just needs some fundamental reassurance, if you will,” said Paul Coffey, who has had a good chat with Nurse, and has yet to play an exhibition because of a playoff injury, but could make his debut on Monday.
Nurse had a rough 2024 playoff. When he was on the ice the Oilers were out-scored 21-10. Several of his minuses were on shots that pin-balled off him, through no fault of his own. But there were nagging things. His gap control seemed off, he had some players getting inside position on him, his decision making wasn’t as sharp as usual. He wasn’t as physically intimidating as he has long been, although the old Nurse was on display with a 12-hit, three block shot performance in Game 4 against Dallas in the Western Conference Final.
“If I was here, I’d say the same thing to him as I’m saying to you… the other day he asked me if I wanted him to be a shutdown defenceman?” said Coffey. “I said ‘no.’ I just want him to be a good player. He owns everything and my job as a coach is to make him better and make every defenceman’s experience a good one.”
Nurse’s $9.25 million AAV is his concern and the Oilers overall cap problem if he struggles, knowing Bouchard may be wanting $10 million next summer in a new deal, if he’s a point-a-game D again. But Nurse, who has played 640 league games and 72 more in the playoffs, a big-minute ice-time guy, got the big money because that was what his contemporaries Seth Jones and Zach Werenski got, plus Nursae was coming off two bridge Oiler contracts.
But, it’s his play on the ice that is crucial to the Oilers with the team breaking in new defenders. He’s got a letter on his jersey, so he’s a big part of the leadership group. They clearly need three veteran D in the top four they can count on every shift if Kulak anchors the third pairing.
Did Nurse just get away from what his strengths, apart from his skating and his ability to put up 30 to 40 points?
Does he just have to get back to closing fast on attackers with his feet and long reach, recover his inherent nastiness? Return to shooing people away from the stars because he’s liked to fight?
He had one scrap last season, and it was against Brendan Dillon.
Yes, to all three.
“We had a really good chat… we went out for an hour and we’re on the same page,” said Coffey. “He’s a good, solid pro. He’s not a young defenceman. What is he? 28? 29? I suspect he’ll be really, really good (this season), and by that I don’t mean scoring 20 goals and getting 70 points. We all know that’s not going to happen. For me if he gets zero points, he has a really good plus-minus and he’s a jerk to play against, I’ll take that.”
Chances are Nurse will be in the 35-point range, far from zero, of course.
“There’s no reason why he can’t be a solid plus-minus, a great penalty-killer, intimidating to play against,” said Coffey.to “He’s got it all. He skates, he’s tough, he can compete. For him, it’s (critics) just background noise. Just eliminate it. Just go and play.”
He’s never getting around the contract with the fans, a contract with six years left.
“Why would he want to get away from it? I wouldn’t want to,” laughed Coffey.
“Let’s talk about how many guys in the league are like that. They sign their eight-year deal and don’t perform. Nursie’s not the only guy, he’s just an easy target in this town. You know why he’s making that money? I told him it’s because he deserves it. I told him not to worry about it.
“We’re all sensitive guys, you want to get respect? Go earn it. Look at 97? Connor plays every shift like he’s never played in the league, every practice it’s like he’s trying to make the team.”
So does Nurse have to steal some of McDavid’s drive?
“No, no. Nursie works. One thing about Nursie he works,” said Coffey, who feels we’ll see more of Nurse being a nasty piece of business this season, along with increased leadership. He has no choice on the mentorship side.
“He’s got an important responsibility. He’s got to bring Emberson (30 NHL games) along. And he will. He’ll communicate and I expect really good things.”
So does Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.
“Every player goes through ups and downs. He (Nurse) feels he’s got more to give. For me it’s playing on his instincts. He’s so good at closing plays off with his speed and the length of his reach and he’s so strong… he can push guys off the puck. Being a little more aggressive goes a long way,” said Knoblauch.
He’ll be carrying a young player Emberson, too, if they want that pairing.
“He’s got a new partner, somebody to get used to, hopefully there’s lots of communication in practices and on the bench, trying to build some chemistry, whether that’s with Emberson or somebody else.” said Knoblauch.
“Maybe it (fresh new face) will be better. He’ll get back to his game, not just relying on your partner you’ve had for a long time (Ceci). It’s a challenge.”
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