Caleb Kerney discusses Edmonton Oilers goaltenders Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell. The Edmonton Oilers are incredibly fortunate to have the talent they do. Several first round drafts picks, many of them 1st overall selections. The result - a team that is arguably the best offensively and an exciting team to watch live or on TV. Leon Draisaitl. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNzAxODY2NDU4MjI3OTE2/usatsi_20589874_168401874_lowres.jpg] Leon Draisaitl. The most notable offensive dynamos on this team are the Captain, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl. The Athletic put out a list of the top 125 players in the NHL. They devised a tiered ranking system based on offensive and defensive rankings. These rankings take many different statistics into account. Seven different Oilers find themselves on this list - the two mentioned above as well as five others. Related: Oilers' Have a Major Announcement Coming Soon The five others include a couple forwards that are underrated around the league. There is one defenceman in particular on this list that may surprise some Oilers' fans, as he is often a scapegoat - enduring more criticism than is warranted for the value that he brings to the team. DARNELL NURSE The defenceman in question is none other than Darnell Nurse. He has amassed the most minutes played over the past several years of all the defencemen on the Oilers' blue line. While most don't question his offensive skills, he receives a lot of criticism for his defensive skills. Darnell Nurse. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwOTQ3ODI1Mjc2NjI2MTI0/usatsi_19341288_168401874_lowres.jpg] Darnell Nurse. This particular model places Darnell Nurse in the same tier as defencemen Brett Pesce, Noah Hanifin, Aaron Ekblad and Jakob Chychrun. This is largely due to his offensive skill. Some of his analytics from this past season suggest that the disdain for Nurse is blown wildly out of proportion. Related: Oilers' Nurse is Worth Every Penny of His Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/opinion/oilers-nurse-is-worth-every-penny-of-his-contract] Having seven total players on the top 125 list has to feel good for Oilers fans. Some may disagree with Nurse's placement on the list, but they can't deny the impact he has on this team. Related: Oilers' Nurse Silently Had His Best Offensive Year Ever [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/analysis/oilers-nurse-silently-had-his-best-offensive-year-ever] Related: Oilers Could Have Had Maple Leafs Top Goalie Prospect Related: Newly Acquired Oiler Could Be the Final Piece Needed For a Stanley Cup Related: Former Penguins Goalie Could Be What the Oilers Need
