Aside from the fact that people have been waiting for 10 years to see the orange and blue in contention again, this years playoffs represents more than just an achieved milestone for the Edmonton Oilers. This playoff run will be a major audition, a test if you will, for the newly transformed blue line. Peter Chiarelli will be paying attention to everything, but I have to believe that one of his main focuses in particular will be on two specific players. Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom.
The truth is the Oilers still lack a true number one defensemen. Such a player only exists through legend that is carved deep into the teams past. Not since the days of Chris Pronger himself have we seen a player of this particular calibre patrolling the blue line in Edmonton. Nurse and Klefbom are not going to be Prongers, but they surely have great potential to become leaders on the backend.
Chiarelli has done well to make up for the absence of a star defender on the Oilers blue line. The top 4 respectively shares an equal amount of responsibility on the ice, which makes up for not having one individual stud rearguard that can do it all at an elite level. Larsson’s defensive play, Klefbom’s offence, Sekera’s experience and two-way play and Russell’s calm presence and shot-blocking represent the valuable qualities a number one defensemen possesses. Instead of all these skills comprised into one dynamic player, they are combined and performed by four other defenders.
Playoffs will be a showcase for Nurse and Klefbom to see how they can handle the intensity of the post-season grind. Being young players with high potential, it is reasonable to believe at least one of them can break out as a difference-maker in the first series.
Klefbom is an elite talent in his own right as a result of his consistent offensive production and accurate bomb from the point. His defensive play is shaky at times, but overall he is a steady, two-way defender with elite-level offensive ability.
In my eyes, he is a reliable top pairing defensemen for Edmonton. A comfortable 2/3 man. However, if he were on a deeper team like Chicago, I think he would fit in as a 3/4, therefore he is not a “legitimate” number one. Because of the flaws I have seen in his game, whether it be the odd poor decision with the puck or being caught out of position, I question if he can really become a stud number one. Klefbom is only 23 years old and there is still a ton of room for him to grow. We have seen him take a huge step forward this season in terms of his development and he has a chance to prove himself more by shinning where the true pressure lingers. Don’t get me wrong, he is a fine player, but where his ceiling of potential peaks is still a mystery to me at this point.
Like I said, none can replicate the ferocious Pronger, but Darnell Nurse certainly has comparisons. He is nasty, skilled and tough. Unfortunately a blasted lower-body injury derailed most of his impressive season. Thankfully, the injury did not slow him down as he picked up right where he left off at the beginning of the season with his improving play. Ever since, he has remained healthy and his confidence level is sky-rocketing.
Nurse was taken 7th overall in 2013 and expectations are for him to be the “go-to guy” for the Oilers on the blue line. He is only 22 years old and is now showing exponential growth in his two-way game. He can shoot, score, hit, fight, defend and pass on a dime. Nurse has the makings of everything that is needed to be a true number one defender.
I think Chiarelli is banking on the idea that Nurse will be the guy. Thats why you haven’t seen the Oilers go on an epic splurge and spend the moon on an expensive defensemen via trade or free agency (other than Larsson, which was necessary). They wanna be patient with Nurse and see what they have in him. I truly believe as well as Chiarelli does, that they have a stud in the making in Darnell Nurse.
Nurse has shined in pressured situations. He was a monstrous beast for Team Canada at the 2015 world juniors where he logged ridiculous minutes the entire tournament and shut down team’s best players like Archie Andrews rejecting Betty Cooper in Riverdale. There is a reason why he was awarded Top Player in the prestigious, nailing-biting gold medal game. Also, during the 2015 OHL playoffs, he played the same vital role as the Soo Greyhounds number one rearguard and captain. Other than pesky Nazem Kadri earlier this season, rarely have I seen a player match up to Connor McDavid as well as Nurse did when the Greyhounds took on the Erie Otters in the playoffs that year.
One of Klefbom or Nurse will take the mantle as the leader of the Oilers backend. Playoffs is a huge opportunity for both of them to shine and amp up their performances. Until that happens though, Edmonton has a more than capable unit behind those two inexperienced youngsters to get the job done. There is a storm coming and its scheduled to arrive on Wednesday.
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