Can Darnell Nurse live up to his contract this season?

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Finnegan Frost
October 4, 2024 (6:08 PM)

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Now that Darnell Nurse has finally been cleared to come back following his injury, the expectations are now sky high for Darnell Nurse.

Darnell Nurse is arguably one of the more controversial players on the Oilers. Darnell Nurse is currently signed to a 8-year contract with a cap hit of $9,250,000 per season. His contract expires at the end of the 2029-30 season, when Nurse is 35 years old. With that being said, when you're being paid over $9 million dollars a year to play hockey, you better perform.

According to the Hockey News, You can't do a post like this and not put Darnell Nurse at the top of the list. There is a chance he could rebound from a rough 2023-24 season and play up to the level the team and most fans are hoping. That said, there may never come a day when Nurse plays up to the level of a $9.25 million defenseman.

Nurse has a lot of attributes the Oilers like and need. Still, he got paid at a time when defensemen were getting big money and because the Oilers bridged him twice, they had to pay up. With the salary cap rising, this deal will increasingly look better and better over time, but it's still handcuffing Edmonton. Nurse is will need to have an All-Star season, and even then, it won't change the minds of some fans.

Nurse should be a top-pairing defenseman, easily logging 22-24 minutes per night and giving the Oilers solid minutes for that money. Instead, concerns are going into this season that he's too inconsistent, he's coming off an injury, and the team can't find the right partner for him. All of those things are working against him.

Nurse will be expected to play with either Ty Emberson or Travis Dermott to start the year, and must be the driving force of his pairing. The pinnacle of his scrutiny came during the 2024 post season, often being blamed for not stepping up when needed. There was one instant in particular when Darnell Nurse walked out from an interview, refusing to answer any questions from the media regarding his poor play.

Personally, I like Darnell Nurse. I find that he plays his best when he's pissed off. After his encounter with the media, he came back to the ice with a vengeance, leading the team in hits against the Vancouver Canucks. Darnell Nurse has the capabilities of an all-star player, he just needs to find the balance between being consistent and playing aggressive.

source: The Hockey Writers