[Signing] Oilers sign Darnell Nurse to extension beginning in 2022 (8 yrs, $9.25 mil AAV)

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

Obviously goaltending is a concern but only because of Smith's age. If he plays anything like he did last year, goaltending will not be a big issue. Remember, last year also, everyone was saying he was too old. He played well throughout the year and playoffs.

Well you'd better fall and pray.

This isn't a short season with Smith playing 32 games. This will be a full season, with Smith playing up to double that.

Again for a old dude last season was a outlier his previous save percentages .898 and .902. In fact his last years .923 was his best by a long shot for a decade. The long season will wear on him, and Koskinen is junk who can't catch, and they have nothing beyond that.

Face it, we Flames fans know that our team is likely to be bad, and we talk about that all the time. The Oilers are even more of a band aid with a over paid mediocre core outside of McDavid and Drai (hope they get a map to their own zone and take winning more serious then trophies for your sake). With a really bad blueline and a rubber band goaltending duo.

When I see the Oilers and I'm being honest I don't see an elite lineup, I don't see a team that's going to be competitive over the next few years because they're cap hamstrung by a dolt as a GM that did the same thing in Detroit.

I see a team that's probably on a precipice if they fail this year of doing some GM shopping and a rebuild.

And that my good friend could be the most exciting thing coming out of Edmonton this year.

[Coach]

Just because he’s YOUR top defenseman doesn’t me he’s A top defenseman or THE top defenseman (as he’s currently being paid). It doesn’t even mean he’s a GOOD defenseman.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Right. My point has always been that unless you can split up Draisaitl and McDavid, Hyman doesn’t add any significant offence (and he’s not a particularly good defensive player so he doesn’t help them there).

Now, if you argue that he can play on Draisaitl’s wing or take his place on the wing, that’s a different story.

100% agree. The comparison seems to get made quite often of the Oilers big guns to Malkin and Crosby. If you look at Malkin and Crosby career it's been around 10 years since they have played a lot of ES ice time together. Even in the early years they played around 30-40% of their ES ice together. During their back to back cup years it was around 5% and a lot of that came with the empty net. They were a true 1-2 combo up the middle.

The Oilers play McDavid and Draisaitl most of the ES ice together. Leon and Nuge have poor numbers away from McDavid and so does Nurse. The Oilers need to create a line that can excel without McDavid on it without hurting McDavid 5 on 5 numbers too much. IMO their best bet is

Nuge - Draisaitl - Yaomoto seem to have the best success together and that still leaves Hyman with McDavid. This line played a lot together in Leon's MVP year. This is their best bet for forward depth but that could leave Ryan as the 3rd line center if Turris doesn't step up

Their D and Goalies are a train wreck though. Keith and Smith really need to play well or I just don't seem them winning in the playoffs

I'm sure they will contend in the regular season but if anyone good gets hurt this team is a mess

[Rising_Oil_Prices]

Sometimes you just have to go with your own guys. Maybe he does regress but I don't think that's fair. His stats show improvement each year, to say otherwise for next year, goes against what he's already proven.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

Sometimes you just have to go with your own guys. Maybe he does regress but I don't think that's fair. His stats show improvement each year, to say otherwise for next year, goes against what he's already proven.

Improvement in what exactly?

[schteve_d]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

Honestly, I think it's a slight overpay but we're talking about OUR best Dman hitting his prime. I wish Edmonton was a destination of choice for free agents but reality says it's not and overpays are often needed to sign a player. And that's not counting the tax situation compared to a place like Fla or Vegas. I am not saying holland hit it out of the park, but I think when you look at the overall picture, he did a reasonable job.

That's the issue, as we see it, or at least as I see it. He is your best Dman, but he shouldn't be, and the fact that he's being paid among the league's elite defenseman is going to be a problem for the Oil going forward. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it!

[Rising_Oil_Prices]

Originally Posted by Boreal

Improvement in what exactly?

Most areas of his game. He's becoming well rounded and it doesn't hurt that he's found a scoring touch.

Do you have some stats that show he's not improving?

[Rising_Oil_Prices]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

That's the issue, as we see it, or at least as I see it. He is your best Dman, but he shouldn't be, and the fact that he's being paid among the league's elite defenseman is going to be a problem for the Oil going forward. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it!

I think he is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

We have a good team.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

I think he [Darnell Nurse] is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

This is not going to age well.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

I think he is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

Not get your hopes up to high? I'm pretty sure the Oilers had already won the cup the year they won that first round. EVERY year Oilers fans have their hopes up. That contract is also terrible, but perfect to see as a Flames fan.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

Most areas of his game. He's becoming well rounded and it doesn't hurt that he's found a scoring touch.

Do you have some stats that show he's not improving?

Stuff like this should worry you.
https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/sta...397444/photo/1

I won't be so cruel to show you that chart for Duncan Keith.

[CNeufeld]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

Obviously goaltending is a concern but only because of Smith's age. If he plays anything like he did last year, goaltending will not be a big issue. Remember, last year also, everyone was saying he was too old. He played well throughout the year and playoffs.

Remember last year, when Smith broke his groin before getting a game in, and missed 23% of the season? Pepperidge Farms remembers...

C

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

I think he is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

*ahem* Let me say this again...

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Boreal

Improvement in what exactly?

Stat lines. That’s the only thing they strive for up there.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Stuff like this should worry you.
https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/sta...397444/photo/1

I won't be so cruel to show you that chart for Duncan Keith.

Or this one:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1424771010390282240

They lost 3 of their 4 best defensive defencemen this summer, brought in Cody Ceci and the corpse of Duncan Keith, all bolstered by the same tandem of a now 39/40 year old Mike Smith and Mikko "4 goals on 4 shots" Koskinen.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by AC

Or this one:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1424771010390282240

They lost 3 of their 4 best defensive defencemen this summer, brought in Cody Ceci and the corpse of Duncan Keith, all bolstered by the same tandem of a now 39/40 year old Mike Smith and Mikko "4 goals on 4 shots" Koskinen.

Definitely reason for Flames fans to be as excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days!

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

I think he is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

Really, you haven't been this excited since the Jarri Curri days because you added Hyman, Ryan, Foegele, bad Keith, Ceci, lost two of your better defensive d-men, and inked some decent but not great players to awful contracts, including re-upping a 40 year old starter?

2015 would've been infinitely more exciting imo. You know, before you traded a few actually good, young top players for a six pack.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

I think he is close to elite player now, with room to grow. I believe his contract is going to look pretty good in a few years....but time will tell with that.

Remember I am just a Homer, don't claim to be an expert. But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

Holy moly its a little early in the day to be on the bottle, Darnell Nurse is not remotely near, and I mean not within the universe near, being elite at his position. Not even close.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Rising_Oil_Prices

But I have watched the Oilers my whole life and I haven't been this excited preseason since the Jari Kurri days. We've learned to not get our hopes up too high but I am throwing caution to that this year. We have a good team.

Isn't his every oiler fan every summer?

No oiler fan has ever learned to not get their Hope's up too high.