The Edmonton Oilers have always had passionate fans. Whether the team is great, good, bad, or just flat-out awful, they are very vocal about their team. This season, it’s been a story of anger and confusion as the Oilers started out their 2023-24 campaign unexpectedly bad. They currently sit seventh in the Pacific Division with a 7-12-1 record. Because of his outlandish contract, defenceman and alternate captain Darnell Nurse is consistently the target of fans who try to find someone to point the finger at, but he’s actually been quite solid this season despite the backlash.
Through 20 games this season, Nurse has been quite strong in his own end. He makes mistakes just like everyone else, but the eyes are on him due to him making $9.25 million per season on a long-term contract. While he’s never been leaned on to lead offensively, he is still able to put up solid numbers every season and continues to play over 20 minutes every game.
With Evan Bouchard taking a massive step up offensively, Mattias Ekholm and Brett Kulak playing well defensively, and Vincent Desharnais, Cody Ceci, and Philip Broberg playing sound hockey in depth roles, Nurse has been able to take some of the pressure off of himself and relax during games. However, fans continue to point the finger at him for every little mistake at both ends of the ice as if he can be a perfect hockey player. Nurse has played well under that pressure though, and continues to elevate his game.
Nurse’s Career With The Oilers
Nurse was drafted by the Oilers in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft at seventh overall and he has been with them ever since. He is a left-shot defender from Hamilton, Ontario, and is currently 28 years old. Following being drafted, Nurse returned to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Soo Greyhounds where he was named team captain and dominated offensively. He scored 13 goals and added 37 assists for 50 points through 64 games finishing first in defenceman scoring on his team and sixth overall with the Greyhounds.
Nurse earned his first shot in the NHL in the 2014-15 season but only played two games, making his real debut the following season where he played 69 games. In his rookie campaign during the 2015-16 season, he scored three goals and added seven assists for 10 points, and established himself as an NHL defenceman who was destined to be a top defenceman for the Oilers.
In 579 games with the Oilers, Nurse has scored 69 goals and added 174 assists for 243 points which comes out to a 0.42 points-per-game average. This is his ninth full season in the NHL and his fifth as the team’s alternate captain. He has never been leaned on to produce offensively but has consistently had 30-point seasons while remaining sound in his own end.
This season, Nurse has scored three goals and added five assists for eight points through 20 games and has been a huge part of the team’s resurgence since their terrible start to the 2023-24 season. As mentioned, he has a ton of pressure on him to perform at an elite level every single night and while he hasn’t been the Oilers’ best defenceman, he has still been solid and doesn’t deserve the pushback he gets every game.
Nurse Will Be Big Part Of Oilers’ Comeback Story
It’s no secret the Oilers haven’t been at their best this season, but as of late the team’s superstars that they lean on in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman have stepped up in a big way, and Nurse has also elevated his game. If the Oilers want to be successful and salvage their season, Nurse will have to continue playing at an elite level and play well at both ends of the ice. Hopefully, the Oilers can take their short-term success and turn it into a season where they are able to make the playoffs and make a deep run for a Stanley Cup.
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