Oft-criticized Darnell Nurse's improvements evident for Oilers in Stanley Cup Final

New York Times

a day ago

SUNRISE, Fla. — Paul Coffey's phone rang days after the Edmonton Oilers' heartbreaking loss in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers, and it was Darnell Nurse's name that flashed across his screen.
The Oilers assistant coach anticipated Nurse was calling to tear into him after playing fewer than 16 minutes in the decisive Game 7 defeat. Coffey got his back up and was ready to argue.
Advertisement
He never needed to clap back or even raise his voice because of Nurse's question moments into the conversation.
'How do I earn your trust back?' the Oilers veteran defenseman asked the Hall of Fame blueliner.
'I was like, 'Are you kidding me?' Coffey recalled. 'When a player says that to a coach, it's music to your ears.'
That responsibility and resolve from Nurse were again on display in a crucial 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 on Thursday to even the Cup Final rematch.
Nurse struggled in the first period. He took a tripping penalty with the Oilers already short-handed, and the Panthers opened the scoring on a two-man advantage. He failed to clear a puck in the defensive zone, which resulted in another Florida power-play goal. He also missed picking up Anton Lundell in front and that contributed to a 3-0 deficit.
But Nurse was instrumental in the pivotal comeback victory. He pulled the Oilers within one with a second-period marker and then set up Vasily Podkolzin's game-tying goal later in the frame. He was one of Edmonton's most impactful players, finishing with four shots on eight attempts and four blocks with a plus-2 rating while skating 24:50.
'Huge goal and then a huge play on the next one — and some great defensive plays, too,' longtime teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. 'He responded well and stepped up big time.'
DARNELL NURSE MAKES IT A ONE-GOAL GAME! 👀 #StanleyCup
BUCKLE UP, FOLKS!
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/9H6xUITKp3
— NHL (@NHL) June 13, 2025
Nurse smiled when asked about making amends and helping his team at a crucial point in the series.
'The two games before, I felt like I had more to give to the group,' Nurse said. 'It was good to contribute here. We're going to need more of that.'
That's undoubtedly true, considering there appears to be a hole developing on the Edmonton blue line.
Advertisement
The Oilers essentially played the last two periods of regulation and overtime with five defensemen after Troy Stecher was benched a minute into the second, coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed Friday. Stecher was inserted into the lineup for John Klingberg, who struggled in Game 3.
That puts more on the other defensemen's shoulders, including Nurse.
There was a lot of soul-searching for Nurse, an alternate captain and the longest-tenured Oilers defenseman, a year ago. The way last year's playoffs went couldn't have ended much worse for him.
His pairing with Cody Ceci struggled through the second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks. He was under so much fire early in the Western Conference final that he was walked out of a scrum and teammates were coming to his defense. He then sustained a hip injury in Game 2 of the Cup Final that required an injection to play through. He was limited by Coffey in Game 7.
That all after an underwhelming regular season, too.
Coffey knows lots of players who would have complained about how it all went down or looked for someone to blame. That's what he expected during that summertime call.
Instead, Nurse put the focus squarely on himself.
'A lot of it is the mental approach to the game,' Nurse said. 'When you're not playing your best, it's easy to look everywhere else. Sometimes you've got to look at yourself and be better.'
Nurse's approach spoke volumes to his teammates.
'That's great accountability,' goalie Stuart Skinner said. 'When it comes to Darnell and his mindset, I've known him for a few years now. What I've come to know about him is his resiliency. He likes it when he has to face adversity. That just means he's going to get better from it.'
A working plan for Nurse was constructed during training camp when he and Coffey went for coffee to chat. It lasted an hour. It could have gone on for another two, Coffey said, if he didn't have somewhere he needed to be.
Advertisement
Nurse first asked Coffey how he could regain his trust during their postseason phone call. This time, the in-person conversation shifted to Nurse inquiring about how Coffey ideally wanted him to play.
'I want it all,' Coffey told him. 'I want you to be the best player you can be, and we'll figure it out as we go.'
Nurse did just that during the season, his best since that Canadian division-only 2021 standout campaign and perhaps the best of his career.
Nurse helped the Oilers weather some early rocky waters by playing with a slew of defensemen without a regular partner. He got time with Stecher, Travis Dermott and Ty Emberson, and even took some shifts on the right side. He found chemistry with Stecher and fellow lefty Brett Kulak.
As the season progressed, there were far more good performances — and some great efforts — than there were poor ones. Nurse trusted his instincts, he was more assertive, and his snarl was often present. His best qualities shone through when they seldom did before.
'Nursey is good when he's moving and he's tough and he's on his toes,' Coffey said. 'I'm not afraid to tell him that. I'm not afraid to challenge him.'
Nurse had five goals and 33 points while averaging 22:22 in 76 games.
'My game's felt much better,' Nurse said. 'I've felt a lot more confident. It's been a good year. I definitely wasn't happy with how last year went. I wasn't happy with how the playoffs went, especially. I came in and took full responsibility.'
It's not like he hasn't had hiccups in the playoffs, including in the Final, but Nurse has been far more impactful than he was over either of the last two postseason runs. He's up to three goals and seven points after his offensive production on Thursday and is averaging 23:38.
'Sometimes he's been that emotional leader for us. Sometimes he's been cool, calm and collected,' center Adam Henrique said. 'You can see it in his face throughout the game, even before the games. He's just locked in.'
Advertisement
Perhaps most importantly to those around the team is how Nurse served as the anchor of the blue line while veteran Mattias Ekholm sat out the first 15 games of the playoffs with a lower-body injury.
'He absolutely stepped up, but he's stepped up all year,' right winger Connor Brown said. 'I don't know if he necessarily had to take any steps forward because he was there.'
Brown was among those to stand up for Nurse when he came under fire midway through last year's playoffs. He said those outside the Oilers dressing room shouldn't underestimate Nurse's importance to the team because those inside certainly don't.
'A lot of it is wearing the heavy burden of what you think the outside noise is thinking of you,' Brown said. 'What you're seeing in Darnell is he's shed that.
'He's been arguably one of our best players all year. You're seeing a guy who's playing free and having fun again.'
Nurse has been a lightning rod for criticism ever since he parlayed that outstanding-yet-truncated 2021 campaign into a big payday.
Nurse assumed the No. 1 duties on the blue line that season with Oscar Klefbom sidelined with what became a career-ending shoulder injury. He had 16 goals and 36 points in 56 games a year ahead of free agency and signed an eight-year, $9.25 million contract extension after Seth Jones and Zach Werenski reset the market for defensemen.
'You know what it's like in this town for him,' Coffey said. 'They've been tough on him. The money he makes has got nothing to do with him. Good for him. We paid, and he deserved it. He's just a maturing guy that's a team guy times 10.'
Despite Nurse feeling otherwise by last summer, Coffey said Nurse didn't lose his trust. He never has. Coffey felt like there were times he needed to shield him in last year's final because of the hip injury.
Advertisement
But there's no question Nurse has been much improved this season since the two talked it out. His Game 4 performance, especially rebounding from a tough first period, is evidence of that.
'I always had a ton of respect for him,' Coffey said. 'I've always liked him because he wants to get better. He wants the challenge.'