Darnell Nurse and coaches put the finger on what went wrong last year with his performances
Darnell Nurse's struggle to live up to his $9.25M contract has been frustrating for both him, the Edmonton Oilers fans and the organization.
In his recent interview at practice, Darnell Nurse said that he recognizes the need to rediscover the physical part of his game which was missing last year. He stated:
Head coach Chris Knoblauch reciprocated these sentiments by stressing that Darnell Nurse's effectiveness comes from playing with physicality and closing gaps quickly while in defense. Assistant coach Paul Coffey also praised Nurse's physicality in recent interviews and was making it clear that the team sees this as a critical element in getting Nurse back on track.
Nurse's struggles have left a mark despite the Oilers' deep playoff run. His poor +/- record (the worst in playoff history for the NHL) was a major talking point during the whole off-season. While Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal revealed that Darnell Nurse was dealing with a significant injury during that time, it didn't ease the comments about him. Given his contract and the status as one of Edmonton's top defensemen, the pressure is on for Darnell Nurse to step up this season as a leader of this team.
The Oilers' coaching staff is taking the right approach by encouraging Nurse to embrace his physical play and if he can cut down on turnovers and regain his form, he will be a huge asset on the blue line.
Source: Oilers Daily
Oilers Defenceman Darnell Nurse Reveals His Biggest Mistake From Last Season
