Edmonton Oilers could look to a veteran Carolina Hurricanes defender for inspiration on what to do with Darnell Nurse.
Edmonton Oilers could look to a veteran Carolina Hurricanes defender for inspiration on what to do with Darnell Nurse.
EDMONTON -- Darnell Nurse hasn't had the best playoff performance for the Edmonton Oilers this post season.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhpN2chN8Ew[/embed]
While that may be an understatement to some, the fact of the matter is that something needs to be done about Nurse. He hasn't been playing as aggressive as he needs to in order to be successful. Nurse's skating, tenacity and ability to transport the puck make him a dangerous defenseman worth the $9.25-million price tag.
But he needs to play to his strengths. All game, every game.
There has been many ink spilled writing about who Nurse should (and shouldn't) play with - and every one of these suggestions focuses on the defensive pairings. What if the solution was more outside-the-box than that?
One solution - that I don't believe is in the cards whatsoever - is to healthy scratch Nurse for a game. He isn't a young player like Ryan McLeod, and is a bigger cog in the Oilers' machine. Given that he is one of the six regular defenseman for the Oilers, his absence (and subsequent replacement) would potentially be a big step down.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FozBr_bPZTw[/embed]
But what if the solution isn't related to any of the other defensemen at all? What if the solution is to give Nurse the Brent Burns treatment?
For those too young - and those that need a refresher - Burns was a forward when he was drafted. The Minnesota Wild selected him 20th overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft.
He spent much of his early career flip flopping between being a defenseman and a forward. It wasn't until a few seasons after being traded to the San Jose Sharks that he solidified his position as a defenseman. The team itself even made an announcement in August of 2014 that he would move back to defense - where he would stay.
From there, he would eventually go on to become a Norris Trophy winning, Ted Lindsay award nominee for the Sharks.
Turning Nurse into a forward could have a wide range of benefits for the Oilers. For one, they get another big body into their forward group who has incredible skating ability and isn't afraid to throw around his 6-foot-4 215lb frame.
Nurse could be a beast on the forecheck, while also having the puck skills and speed to carry the puck through the neutral zone. Like it or not, the idea is certainly interesting to consider.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhpryy65Svk[/embed]
If Nurse is moved to forward, you could take out an underperforming Warren Foegele while also inserting a young Philip Broberg into the defense pairings. This gives the Oilers more options in the forward ranks - but also might require an adjustment in defensive pairings.
You could reunite Brett Kulak with Vincent Desharnais - or keep Kulak with Cody Ceci and have Broberg and Desharnais as the third pairing. Either way, there are options to consider.
While what I'm suggesting isn't new by any stretch - it would truly take a coach who isn't afraid to think outside of typical parameters to come up with a solution like this. It could serve as a short term reset, which would only benefit both the team and the player. Or it could be a long term change, which alters the offseason plans of the team.
Would you play Nurse at forward? Would you scratch him entirely? Let me know your thoughts.
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