Nurse spent the summer working on his puck skills
By Jason Gregor
7 years ago
“I want to improve my puckhandling skills,” replied Darnell Nurse last April when I asked him what he needs to work on the most in the off-season.
He mentioned other areas he was going to work on as well, but he felt his puckhandling skills needed to improve so he could become more of an asset.
Nurse’s raw athleticism is what made him the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He’s an outstanding skater, strong, highly competitive and mean, but at times during his rookie season he struggled making plays.
Nurse began last season in the American Hockey League, and the plan was to let him get adjusted to pro hockey in Bakersfield. However, the injury bug bit the Oilers early in the season and Nurse was recalled.
He dressed in 69 games and only Andrej Sekera (1395) and Taylor Hall (1295) played more event strength minutes than Nurse’s 1204. He averaged the most EV minutes per game, 17:57, of any player who played more than 20 games.
He also played the most PK minutes (140) of any defender. He was put in some very difficult positions, and while he struggled at times, Nurse never lost his confidence as he gained valuable experience.
Through the hard times, Nurse recognized he needed to improve his play making and puck moving skills.
He wasn’t sure how he was going to do it, but a chance meeting with Hall of Fame player turned skills coach, Adam Oates, at a minor hockey rink altered how his summer training could go.
Before leaving for Winnipeg I sat down with Nurse and discussed how he ended up training with Oates.
Jason
Gregor: Tell me how the relationship with Adam Oates started this
summer?
Gregor: Tell me how the relationship with Adam Oates started this
summer?
Darnell Nurse: Actually I met him when I was
helping coach my old billet’s son. I was helping coach a spring hockey
tournament. I met him at the rink there and then we sat down, looked at some video and he
told me what we should work on over the summer. It was kind of a no-brainer
when you see the way he thinks the game. Even as a defensemen and seeing some
of the things that he sees on the ice, not only with the puck on my stick, but
also defensively. It was an easy decision for me to go and work with him and I feel
like he’s helped a lot.
helping coach my old billet’s son. I was helping coach a spring hockey
tournament. I met him at the rink there and then we sat down, looked at some video and he
told me what we should work on over the summer. It was kind of a no-brainer
when you see the way he thinks the game. Even as a defensemen and seeing some
of the things that he sees on the ice, not only with the puck on my stick, but
also defensively. It was an easy decision for me to go and work with him and I feel
like he’s helped a lot.
Gregor:
What was his first impression of your stick and how much did he change it?
What was his first impression of your stick and how much did he change it?
Nurse: (laughs) Yeah, he obviously likes to get
away from the heel curves. I had a pretty big, what looked like a sand wedge
last year. It wasn’t ideal. So I switched that pretty quickly, and I’ve made some modifications to it
as the season started, but it’s very similar to what I used all summer. The change has really opened up a lot
more time in certain areas and it allows me to make plays faster and I think it’s made me play the game faster..
away from the heel curves. I had a pretty big, what looked like a sand wedge
last year. It wasn’t ideal. So I switched that pretty quickly, and I’ve made some modifications to it
as the season started, but it’s very similar to what I used all summer. The change has really opened up a lot
more time in certain areas and it allows me to make plays faster and I think it’s made me play the game faster..
Gregor: You are a very good skater and you’ve made it to the NHL, but you’ve
never really had someone focus on your stick. Now just changing
your stick angle and blade can suddenly make you a faster player in certain
areas. Did that surprise you?
never really had someone focus on your stick. Now just changing
your stick angle and blade can suddenly make you a faster player in certain
areas. Did that surprise you?
Nurse: Yes it has. I worked out and I’m stronger so that helps too, but the small changes have helped. Just to have the input, not only from Adam, but also
from Jimmy (Jim Johnson) here and to be able to come up with something that at this point I
feel has helped a lot. As I said, it’s a skating game but at the same time you
have to be able to make plays and you don’t want anything to limit that.
from Jimmy (Jim Johnson) here and to be able to come up with something that at this point I
feel has helped a lot. As I said, it’s a skating game but at the same time you
have to be able to make plays and you don’t want anything to limit that.
Gregor:
How do you feel that the changes of your stick have helped your game?
How do you feel that the changes of your stick have helped your game?
Nurse: Just getting my head up and making
plays and trusting that when I make a pass, the puck is going to be there.
That’s a big thing. As simple as a curve looks I think it can make a big
difference if you’re using something that has you bent over too much. I feel a lot more upright and I have the ability to see
the ice a lot better.
plays and trusting that when I make a pass, the puck is going to be there.
That’s a big thing. As simple as a curve looks I think it can make a big
difference if you’re using something that has you bent over too much. I feel a lot more upright and I have the ability to see
the ice a lot better.
Gregor: Numerous times on my radio show Adam has said he believes the toughest play
in hockey is when a defenseman goes back to retrieve a puck with a forechecker on him. How much time did you spend just picking pucks up
off of the boards this summer?
in hockey is when a defenseman goes back to retrieve a puck with a forechecker on him. How much time did you spend just picking pucks up
off of the boards this summer?
Nurse: Yeah, a lot. It’s such a
simple thing that you don’t really think to work on it over the course of the
summer, but something Adam and I worked on a lot was
going back and picking up pucks and identifying different options, like what’s
the best one to use once you get back there, and just reading plays. We spent hours doing that it’s helped me a lot.
simple thing that you don’t really think to work on it over the course of the
summer, but something Adam and I worked on a lot was
going back and picking up pucks and identifying different options, like what’s
the best one to use once you get back there, and just reading plays. We spent hours doing that it’s helped me a lot.
HOW HAVE CHANGES HELPED?
Gregor:
It’s only been five regular season games so it’s maybe too early to tell. How
do you feel the changes you worked on this summer have enhanced your game?
Have you felt more confident and comfortable in specific areas?
It’s only been five regular season games so it’s maybe too early to tell. How
do you feel the changes you worked on this summer have enhanced your game?
Have you felt more confident and comfortable in specific areas?
Nurse: Yeah I feel a lot more comfortable
getting pucks in the regroups, and in the D zone when now I try to make the
play and not just throw it off of the glass all of the time. There are still
times where you’re going to feel pressured and you have to give it up, but I
just find myself making more plays so far this year.
getting pucks in the regroups, and in the D zone when now I try to make the
play and not just throw it off of the glass all of the time. There are still
times where you’re going to feel pressured and you have to give it up, but I
just find myself making more plays so far this year.
Gregor:
The one challenge you’ve had to deal with is that you’ve had three defense
partners in five games due to injuries. How much will it help you now that it looks like Eric Gryba will be your regular partner moving forward?
The one challenge you’ve had to deal with is that you’ve had three defense
partners in five games due to injuries. How much will it help you now that it looks like Eric Gryba will be your regular partner moving forward?
Nurse: Yeah, it’s big when you
can build a relationship on the ice, as D partners. The more you play with someone you know where he’s going to be at certain
times of the game, or when you’re in the corner and they’re going to make
plays, and also defensively you’re going to read off of each other. I think Grybs and I have played pretty well together, and we’re going to have to be a
pair who is hard to play against but at the same time have the
ability to move pucks.
can build a relationship on the ice, as D partners. The more you play with someone you know where he’s going to be at certain
times of the game, or when you’re in the corner and they’re going to make
plays, and also defensively you’re going to read off of each other. I think Grybs and I have played pretty well together, and we’re going to have to be a
pair who is hard to play against but at the same time have the
ability to move pucks.
Gregor:
Are you more calm on the ice this year? Are you trying to be more
composed with your emotions this year?
Are you more calm on the ice this year? Are you trying to be more
composed with your emotions this year?
Nurse: Yeah, just trying not to run
around as much, give up scoring opportunities, just being in the right place at
the right time. At the same time I’ve got to go out there and still play hard.
I still play with a lot of emotion whether I’m in there battling for a puck or
there’s a scrum in front of the net. I think I’m always going to play with a
lot of emotion, but at the same time I like to say controlled chaos is a good
way for me to play. I need to be at the right place at
the right time and know that the opportunity is going to come where I can get
on the body and get under a guy’s skin.
around as much, give up scoring opportunities, just being in the right place at
the right time. At the same time I’ve got to go out there and still play hard.
I still play with a lot of emotion whether I’m in there battling for a puck or
there’s a scrum in front of the net. I think I’m always going to play with a
lot of emotion, but at the same time I like to say controlled chaos is a good
way for me to play. I need to be at the right place at
the right time and know that the opportunity is going to come where I can get
on the body and get under a guy’s skin.
WRAP UP
Nurse has been much more efficient moving the puck this year. He’s still young and has a lot of room to improve, but his ability to handle the puck cleanly has been very noticeable.
It also helps how so far this season he hasn’t be overwhelmed with icetime. He is fifth among D-men in EV TOI/game, but he still leads them in PK/TOI. He has a main role on the team on the PK, but he’s not being asked to play too much at EV.
His work with Oates in the summer has helped him, and after scoring his first goal of the season yesterday in Winnipeg, he leads the Oilers blueline with three points.
He’s the first Oilers D-man to score a goal. He won’t lead the defenders in scoring this season, but his summer of work focusing on improving his puckhandling skills has been apparent in six games.
He still has areas he needs to improve, and much of that will come from experience and game situations, but there is no doubt Nurse’s puckhandling skills are much better today than a year ago, and as the NHL becomes more and more of a puck possession game, he’ll need to keep sharpening his puck skills.
He’s told me he’s happy with his progress, but feels he is just starting to scratch the surface on his overall potential.
“This summer was great, but it is only one step. I still have a lot of room to grow and improve,” he said.
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