Insider Reveals Real Reason Behind Darnell Nurse's Struggles Last Playoffs

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Ryan Hall
October 21, 2024 (9:02)

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The Oilers have had an up and down start to their season, but one major positive has been standing out.

Defenceman Darnell Nurse needs to have a bounce back season this year, and he's started the year on a good note. Nurse's play at times last season directly hurt the Oilers, but there may have been more at play that fans didn't know about.

According to Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal, Darnell Nurse was dealing with a debilitating injury last year, and it could have really brought down his level of play in the playoffs.

Darnell Nurse looks way better than he did at any point last season. I have written in this space in the past that I believed Nurse was dealing with more significant physical challenges at the end of last year than most folks realized. After a limited training camp, his skating has looked like the Darnell of old. But what has really caught my eye is Nurse's physicality. He is playing with what I will describe as a renewed edge which is most welcome. Darnell can be a lightning rod for criticism. But I think most of us can agree that this combination of speed and grit makes Nurse a difference maker.

This could be welcome news for the Oilers as Nurse has continuously taken criticism for his game over the last number of years after signing his monster contract with the Oilers back in 2022 that was eight years and $74 million holding a cap hit of $9.25 million per season. The Oilers recently have had criticism as well for their handling of their defence core during the summer and with Nurse turning his game around which is vital for success considering their depleted blueline.

Leavins also made the point that the Edmonton Oilers may be struggling early this year due to the lost speed in their lineup.

The very biggest thing that meets my eye is that the Oilers look slower. And all you have to do to figure out how this happened is to consider four departed players from the Stanley Cup Final roster. Warren Foegele was never able to cement himself as a Top 6 forward in Edmonton but he could skate. Like Foegele, Dylan Holloway had not yet proven himself a Top 6 performer but he could flat out fly. Ryan McLeod was perhaps the fastest Oiler not named McDavid. And Philip Broberg on Defence was a terrific skater who in a small NHL sample could transport the puck.

Losing that much foot speed and youth especially with Broberg and Holloway has been noticeable. Teams are taking advantage of the fact that the Oilers are now considered the oldest team in the NHL in terms of average age.

It remains to be seen on how general manager Stan Bowman and CEO Jeff Jackson will address this issue but for the time being the Oilers remain with question marks and they will need to be addressed as soon as possible.