As the NHL season approaches news is matriculating through the public sphere, in a sense catching the public up after the busy offseason. Last week we learned that Darnell Nurse is dealing with an injury that should keep him out of training camp. For now there is hope that Nurse will be ready to start the regular season, though the news does not bode well for the Edmonton Oilers blueline.
In large part due to his less-than-ideal contract, Nurse has become a lightning rod for criticisms of the Oilers. While the contract value is an issue, Nurse is still a key piece of the Oilers blueline. For the most part, off-season hand wringing across Oil Country has been about the situation at right defence, though the thought of missing Nurse for any extended period of time casts the whole group into doubt behind the Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard pairing. Let’s take a closer look at the how the injury might change the equation for the Oilers.
Poor timing
For the past two seasons the Oilers have been remarkably healthy at left defence, blocking Philip Broberg from a spot on his strong side. Now, with Broberg gone, what might have been a perfect opportunity for a bigger look at the former Oiler presents itself.
Ultimately the timing was not right. The St. Louis Blues made an aggressive manoeuvre to acquire Broberg, signing him to an expensive offer sheet that was untenable for the Oilers to match. Whether or not Broberg was, is, or ever will be worth the deal remains to be seen, but clearly the partnership between the Oilers and Broberg was, and continues, to be imperfect.
Another side note is that because of how the Oilers cap puzzle has shifted since free agency opened, the Vincent Desharnais deal seems exceedingly reasonable. Perhaps Coach Kris Knoblauch and the Oilers had no interest in retaining him at any price, but his presence would be welcome on the right side of this blueline. Desharnais was scratched deeper into the playoffs last season and might not be an ideal fit for any of the Oilers lefties.
Desharnais might get some time alongside Quinn Hughes this season, a bold idea that just might work well. Broberg will get a chance at a huge role in St. Louis, which will put extra heat on the Oilers blueline.
Next up
What’s more is that the Oilers prolonged logjam at left defence has kept the team from investing more at the position. While the Oilers right side is a bigger issue while the team is at full health, there is not as much depth on the left side. Though Nurse might be ready for the start of the season, any injury to the Oilers left side could have significant consequences.
For now, Ben Gleason is the best call up option. To be fair, Gleason was fantastic last preseason, leaving many to believe that he should have a chance at the NHL level. Cam Dineen is more of a one dimensional puck moving option, but Gleason does seem to have a stable game. With the right side in question, Gleason is not likely to have a partner to carry or shelter him.
Almost assuredly this means a bigger role for Brett Kulak, who might be able to handle second pairing usage with an ideal partner. Again, the right side of the blueline does not exactly do the Oilers any favours in supporting Kulak’s foray up the lineup.
If Nurse is able to play through the injury his effectiveness might be diminished. Kulak does have the ability to help ease that burden, and icetime between Nurse’s pairing and Kulak’s pairing would be more evenly split. Given that the depth chart on the right side is muddy, there’s no reason to think that the Oilers cannot overcome a ramp up to full force.
Ripple effect
Without Nurse in the lineup the Oilers might be forced into certain decisions elsewhere in the lineup. With Nurse expected to play a significant role on the penalty kill, his absence might require the Oilers to favour fringe defencemen who can kill penalties to a greater extent. This might not be enough to stop the team from looking at potential free agents Justin Schultz or Kevin Shattenkirk, it should at least be taken into consideration.
By the same token, the Oilers appetite for another left shot option has undoubtedly increased. Faced with the mortality of their left side, the Nurse injury might be a warning shot the Oilers are forced to heed. Conceptually, free agents who shoot left but have played their weak side become more likely, namely Mark Giordano and Travis Dermott. Despite his history with the Calgary Flames, Giordano does seem to be a very appealing option.
Bigger picture
The issues that a Nurse injury presents are a testament to the fact that he is still a key piece to the lineup. His contract dictates that he will face steep scrutiny from the outside. Behind Ekholm and Bouchard, the Oilers have some leeway in expecting more from Nurse, though surely it is possible to find him a more ideal defence partner than Cody Ceci.
Troy Stecher should be able to deliver comparable results, representing a solid floor. The upside option is Ty Emberson, who should inspire some confidence coming off of his rookie season. If Nurse is playing on limited minutes early in the season it might be ideal to test Emberson’s capabilities before thrusting him into a top four role. Kulak and Stecher are a fine third pairing, but might be able to pinch up the lineup early in the season given their experience.
If the Oilers are willing and able to swing a bigger trade throughout the season it is still likely to be at right defence. That said, left side depth could become an alarming issue. A PTO might help keep the team’s options open for the waiver crunch, a smaller move that might do more for the Oilers ability to survive attrition. The Oilers forwards are still good enough to ease the burden of the blueline.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
