Sean Maloughney: The Problem With Darnell Nurse

The information you used for Nurse and for Klefbom is incomplete, and thus lazy.

The first thing that jumps to my mind is - who are Nurse and Bear out there against, and the same for Klefbom.

If Nurse is out against opposing number 1 lines, and Klefbom is out against 2nd liners, for example, then that would go a long way towards explaining the issue.

Defensive zone starts vs Offensive zone starts might also help explain.

More information is out there to help possibly explain why Nurse is out there for as many goals against.

Thing is, he’s one deal ahead of those guys in contract terms. He did his bridge and probably won’t accept anything below serious term for fairly high dollars

Sucks, cause despite his flaws, Not sure how difficult it will be to replace him. We’ve got the prospects, but it’s a gamble to assume someone can adequately fill that spot (Jones and bear already here, so they don’t count)

I probably wouldn’t be too upset at a marginal overpay. (6x$6.5 or something)
But yeah, trading him def gonna be something the oilers need to consider depending on the ask above the aforementioned. And he probably will want more than that


Trade larsson in a package sooner rather than later for a winger .
And Give Russel away for anything if possible. Under those 2 circumstances, I wouldn’t hate keeping nurse

What about that Bear guy Schweiny added, is he soo(oo) goo(oo)d, and aren't the Ferkels afraid with a Bear in the team?

Its simple really. Watch his GA totals shrink starting on Thursday when pairings look more like :
Nurse - Larsson
Klefbom - Persson
Russell - Bear
Benning in box, Jones in Bako.

If talks don't improve to a point where Kenny is happy by the deadline then explore moving him for a winger and consider Bouchard coming up to fill his spot.

Its simple really. Watch his GA totals shrink starting on Thursday when pairings look more like :
Nurse - Larsson
Klefbom - Persson
Russell - Bear
Benning in box, Jones in Bako.

If talks don't improve to a point where Kenny is happy by the deadline then explore moving him for a winger and consider Bouchard coming up to fill his spot.
- wreckage

Persson got demoted

Im pretty sure plus/minus is the number scored for/against when you're on the ice at even stregth. so... isnt this entire article about plus/minus?

Ohh, now your complaining Freelancer?! The way your teams playing I’m surprised it took so long..

Ohh, now your complaining Freelancer?! The way your teams playing I’m surprised it took so long..
- Flamin_Irishmin

you guys going to take a shot on Schnieder ?

you guys going to take a shot on Schnieder ?
- Reveen

Maybe Schneider, who has a Schniedelwutz...

Its simple really. Watch his GA totals shrink starting on Thursday when pairings look more like :
Nurse - Larsson
Klefbom - Persson
Russell - Bear
Benning in box, Jones in Bako.

If talks don't improve to a point where Kenny is happy by the deadline then explore moving him for a winger and consider Bouchard coming up to fill his spot.
- wreckage

I’d rather see:

Klefbom-Bear
Nurse-Larsson
Russell-Benning

What about that Bear guy Schweiny added, is he soo(oo) goo(oo)d, and aren't the Ferkels afraid with a Bear in the team?
- VeryModernMan

He’s gonna have a good week. Larsson told me so.

I’d rather see:

Klefbom-Bear
Nurse-Larsson
Russell-Benning
- Wildschwein

As much as we talk about not rushing our prospects, and I agree with that sentiment alot of the time, I think there’s something to be said about not stalling a career as well.

Jones was dominating in the A, and I think has all the tools one needs to be a quality nhl defender. Good skater, makes solid decisions, can move the puck, and isn’t lost in his own end. I’m not sure he’s got anything more to learn down there beyond just treading water

I’d wager he’s already better than benning. Maybe even Russel too albeit lacking some
Of his vet savvy I suppose.
And hell, at the risk of incurring your wrath bro, I think he might even be on level footing with larsson. At the very least he does some things better already.

If I’m holland, I’m dealing one of russel for cap space or larsson in a package maybe for a decent return, and allowing jones to continue his development in the show. Especially if we want him to be a significant contributor next season. And I think we do

As much as we talk about not rushing our prospects, and I agree with that sentiment alot of the time, I think there’s something to be said about not stalling a career as well.

Jones was dominating in the A, and I think has all the tools one needs to be a quality nhl defender. Good skater, makes solid decisions, can move the puck, and isn’t lost in his own end. I’m not sure he’s got anything more to learn down there beyond just treading water

I’d wager he’s already better than benning. Maybe even Russel too albeit lacking some
Of his vet savvy I suppose.
And hell, at the risk of incurring your wrath bro, I think he might even be on level footing with larsson. At the very least he does some things better already.

If I’m holland, I’m dealing one of russel for cap space or larsson in a package maybe for a decent return, and allowing jones to continue his development in the show. Especially if we want him to be a significant contributor next season. And I think we do
- HB77

Mine wrath shall not be incurred. Larsson has done nothing but regress these past two years. If a package including Larsson could be sent to Winnipeg for Ehlers, I’d do it.

There. I said it.

Mine wrath shall not be incurred. Larsson has done nothing but regress these past two years. If a package including Larsson could be sent to Winnipeg for Ehlers, I’d do it.

There. I said it.
- Wildschwein

You’re gonna need to chop off one of your typing digits to atone for this one.

I don’t make the rules

He’s gonna have a good week. Larsson told me so.
- Wildschwein

I Very(!) sincerely hope for you, as i -inspired by your recent history (we don't talk about Dvorak on this matter...)- added him in some fantasy leagues for this week. In the barely imaginable case he doesn't perform, i will seek you in the forest for a little talk in person - also about a Mr. Kneela for whom i more or less have given up a Mr. Perron for (and two weeks of man games)...

You’re gonna need to chop off one of your typing digits to atone for this one.

I don’t make the rules
- HB77

I have surrendered my left testicle and thrown it upon a bed of coals.

I Very(!) sincerely hope for you, as i -inspired by your recent history (we don't talk about Dvorak on this matter...)- added him in some fantasy leagues for this week. In the barely imaginable case he doesn't perform, i will seek you in the forest for a little talk in person - also about a Mr. Kneela for whom i more or less have given up a Mr. Perron for (and two weeks of man games)...
- VeryModernMan

What was wrong with Dvorak? He had exactly the sort of week I expected out of a depth C.

I have surrendered my left testicle and thrown it upon a bed of coals.
- Wildschwein

Seems drastic. but who am I to judge your depth of commitment ?

What was wrong with Dvorak? He had exactly the sort of week I expected out of a depth C.
- Wildschwein

lol, as he now earned his second assist of the day (still 1st period): you're the boss.

Even your Hutton suggestion was working in my head... and seeing his recent history, of the team (- also reading Pachlas report today -) and the schedule ahead, i pulled the plug...

Seems drastic. but who am I to judge your depth of commitment ?
- HB77

It was a necessary act of contrition.

lol, as he now earned his second assist of the day (still 1st period): you're the boss.

Even your Hutton suggestion was working in my head... and seeing his recent history, of the team (- also reading Pachlas report today -) and the schedule ahead, i pulled the plug...


- VeryModernMan

You put a shocking amount of faith into my hunches.

You put a shocking amount of faith into my hunches.
- Wildschwein

Well, they're just... good and reasonable.

AA was also a nice pick up (did just have two spots for him this week...; added him already last week in three of my others leagues), and i could Very(!) imagine how you sat there midnight again - one hand on the mouse with the other holding the only remaining testicle - sweatily staring at the clock, to add your most recent outperformer (why not Rafi?) to the yet-to-beat-Ferkels....

At least taking Brown over Boro (Very(!) gritty!, ytd. >Chabot) was a blunder.

This might be the first time I agree with you Sean. What if someone offers him 7x7? Would you let him walk for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd in 2021 draft?

Sean Maloughney: The Problem With Darnell Nurse
- freelancer

If the problem with Darnell Nurse is his goal differential at 5-on-5, then I'll be expecting articles about "The Problems with Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson and every Oiler Dman not named Benning" in the near future. The moment you take this sample size outside of the context of this season, this quickly loses validity.

2017-18 / GF / GA / relGF% / (mins played)
Nurse / 69 / 56 / +11.27 / 1548:57
Klefbom/ 44 / 57 / -7.03 / 1118:52
Larsson/ 48 / 48 / +4.84 / 1189:58

2018-19 / GF / GA / relGF% / (mins played)
Nurse / 63 / 73 / +2.17 / 1556:22
Klefbom/ 30 / 45 / -9.03 / 1132:01
Larsson/ 45 / 77 / -13.11 / 1548:43

2019-20 / GF / GA / relGF% / (mins played)
Nurse / 20 / 25 / -14.09 / 409:10
Klefbom/ 15 / 13 / +3.57 / 382:39

So once tracked beyond this year's 20-game sample size, it's clear that the problem you note with Nurse is historically a strength and that the very problem you label Nurse as having is shown to be more true of Klefbom. There are plenty of factors that help to explain this; is difficulty of opposition part of it?

(Player) - 17-18 / 18-19 / 19-20 (TOI Vs Elite %)
Nurse - 34.8% / 33.8% / 38.4%
Klefbom - 32.3% / 35.1% / 30.8%

This shows deployment being relatively even over the past three years with this year being the only year with a disparity. Fair to say this may serve to describe some of the discrepancy in goal share. How about quality of partner?

Year Nurse (mins w/) Klefbom (mins w/)
2017-18 Larsson (820) Benning (536)
2018-19 Russell (1054) Larsson (995)
2019-20 Bear (334) Persson (136)

Quality of partner seems to sync up quite closely with deployment (Larsson pairing sees somewhat harder mins; Bear is better than Persson). Outside of this year, he isn't even particularly high-event when you look at scoring rates, either.

Year Nurse Klefbom (GF/GA per 60)
17-18 2.67/2.17 2.36/3.06
18-19 2.43/2.81 1.59/2.39
19-20 2.93/3.67 2.35/2.04

Rel GF & GA per 60 over the past 3 seasons combined:
Nurse: +0.45/+0.05 (net +0.4)
Klefbom: -0.4/+0.18 (net -0.58)

In summary, I don't see nearly enough evidence that this is Darnell Nurse's problem. When you factor in his even strength scoring, physicality (for the playoffs), durability and the fact that he's a good friend of the core of our roster (McDavid and Draisaitl), I remain firmly in the camp that the team needs to make re-signing him an utmost priority. I'd happily go into the mid-to-late 6s if it means retaining his services through his prime years.