Oilers May Have Fix on Defense Even After Failed Nurse Experiment

The Edmonton Oilers are looking around the trade market for a solution on the right side of their blue line. However, Allan Mitchell of The Athletic suggests the Oilers might already have an internal solution in Darnell Nurse and the time to see if it works might be now.

Mitchell acknowledges that the experiment to move Nurse to the right side already failed miserably once this season. But, he also argues that part of the reason it failed is because the Oilers might not have given enough time to Nurse on the right side with Brett Kulak as his partner. In a small sample size, the two were effective. Could they make it work over a longer stretch of games?

Mitchell writes that the Oilers finding a fit on the second pair has been a season-long issue. Some would argue it dates back even longer, which is why the Oilers were open to moving Cody Ceci in a trade. Mitchell points out that on October 25th, during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nurse played some time on his off-side, alongside Kulak. The results were impressive: the pairing posted a 4-0 shot differential, 100% expected goals, and a 93% Corsi. These numbers show that the duo has clicked, despite being an unconventional combination.

Could Nurse and Kulak Be the Oilers’ Best Bet?

While Mitchell is basing his theory on an extremely small sample size, trying Nurse with Kulak could be the answer. The Nurse-Kulak pairing has been effective at five-on-five for years, and moving Nurse to the right side may provide the spark he needs to reach his full potential.

Mitchell writes:

Nurse is healthy, aggressive, confident and that’s the best time to check to see if he has another gear. We are beginning to see the best version of this player. Nurse also seems to be passing more freely on the right side, with a better target angle. He’s still using too much torque on his passes, and that leads to icings and turnovers, but if he plays more on the right side it could benefit this area.

Meanwhile, Kulak has proven that he’s versatile and reliable. He’s got a history of being able to play practically anywhere on the team’s blue line and he should be able to adjust without issue.

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GM Stan Bowman is going to struggle to find what he needs on the trade market, especially if a right-shot defenseman is going to cost a premium. The Oilers might opt to add a left-handed defenseman for the third pairing, allowing Nurse and Kulak to run the second pairing.

If the experiment works, it would mark a major breakthrough for Nurse and the Oilers.

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