Have Oilers Finally Found a Parnter for Darnell Nurse on Defense?

There’s a feeling in Edmonton –admittedly, after just one game — that the Oilers might have finally found a partner for Darnell Nurse on defense. Edmonton has spent many seasons trying to land and manufacture the ideal duo of players, with one half being Nurse and the other a mix of less-than-ideal fits. Last season was a mix of Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais. This season, it’s been Brett Kulak, Ty Emberson, Troy Stecher, or John Klingberg. Ceci and Nurse had their moments where things were solid, but it wasn’t consistent.

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Now, with the addition of Jake Walman at the NHL trade deadline, GM Stan Bowman and head coach Kris Knoblauch are hoping this is a winning formula.

Tyler Yarembcuk of Oilers Nation writes:

“I think he is going to be a great partner for Darnell Nurse. He’s not great at defending off the rush, which does concern me, but he’s an excellent puck mover, and he’s comfortable on the right side. Nurse has always worked better with a puck mover. It’s only been one game, but the early signs are very encouraging.”

Walman has speed, can skate, is offensively smart and productive, and, best of all, he’s confident. These attributes will allow Nurse to do what Nurse is good at: defend first and jump into the play when the opportunity exists.

Nurse Has Rebounded This Season, and Walman Will Only Help

Often the target for critical fans who cite Nurse’s contract as a huge issue, the vitriol isn’t as prevalent this season. Nurse has arguably been the Oilers’ most consistent defenseman in 2024-25 and without a top player to play alongside. Now, with a legitimate top-four (maybe even top pair) blueliner in Walman, this could be the spark Nurse needs to really show his value as a $9 million defenseman.

If the Oilers can get Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard to find the same level of success as they had in last season’s playoffs, adding a combination of Nurse and Walman to that mix is a big get for the Oilers. It gives the team and deeper blue-line corps, with Kulak, Emberson, and Klingberg rounding out their top seven. And, to be fair, Stecher has done his job. He’s more than a “press in case of emergency” option.

Again, it’s early. Walman has only played one game. He’ll play his second for the Oilers on Monday night as they take on the Buffalo Sabres. If he shows well again and the pairing of Nurse and Walman remains as productive as they were against the Dallas Stars, the Oilers might have found gold at the trade deadline.

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