Hockey fans who have been eagerly awaiting some best-on-best action are in for quite a treat this week, as tomorrow afternoon will see the rosters announced for all four teams competing in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. It may not be the Olympics, but it’s going to be some elite-level hockey nonetheless.
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Many NHL teams have a number of players that will be participating in the action, including the Edmonton Oilers. Mattias Ekholm is essentially a lock to crack Team Sweden’s blue line, while Viktor Arvidsson has a shot at cracking their roster as well. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid is already penciled into Canada’s lineup, while Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard are strong possibilities.
Some also believe that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Stuart Skinner could be given spots, though they may be in tough given how talented the Canadian roster figures to be. Nonetheless, they’ve received some recognition, unlike another teammate of theirs who has received almost no love when it comes to earning a spot.
Nurse Should Be in Consideration
Due to his $9.25 million cap hit, Darnell Nurse is not only the most scrutinized player on the Oilers roster, but is one of the most throughout the entire NHL. The criticism he faces is deserved, as he simply isn’t worth the money that he’s being paid. That said, it also results in many forgetting that he is still a very solid NHL defenceman.
While flawed in certain areas, Nurse has all the makings of a very good blueliner. He is as good of a skater as they come, can produce solid offensive numbers, and, although prone to some untimely gaffes, is generally quite strong in his own end of the ice. On top of all that, he is one of the toughest customers in the league.
Nurse plays in nearly all situations for the Oilers, a team that was just one win shy of a Stanley Cup championship last season. He’s a player that head coach Kris Knoblauch can count on to close out a tight lead, and, at times, provide an offensive spark. Though he doesn’t see much power play time with Bouchard in the lineup, he has played on the top unit at various times throughout his career.
Though Nurse hasn’t received much talk from fans when it comes to a spot at the 4 Nations Face-Off, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team’s coaching staff has considered him. Working in his favour is that he’s had a pretty solid start to his 2024-25 season.
Through 21 games, Nurse has managed a respectable three goals and 10 points. His 35 hits lead all Oilers blueliners, while his average of 1:50 per game on the penalty kill is second only to Ekholm. His 21 minutes per game in all situations is third among Oilers defencemen, trailing only Ekholm and Bouchard.
While many defencemen projected to make the Canadian roster may have a higher skillset than Nurse, few, if any, strike as much fear into their opponents. Having some grit and toughness could be what sets Canada apart from an American team that many believe is the true favourite heading into this tournament.
Related: Team Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off Final Roster Prediction
Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Shea Theodore seems to be cracking the vast majority of projection lists. While he’s a great player, he’s more offensive-minded, which may not be needed on a team that will feature Cale Makar and potentially Bouchard. Instead of having him on the left side of the third pairing, Nurse may better fit Canada’s needs.
Fans Could Wind Up Surprised
It will be interesting to see exactly what Canada’s roster looks like when it is released on Wednesday, though fans could wind up being caught off guard. Far too often, it seems that these rosters are projected by simply throwing the most skilled players together. That isn’t necessarily the best strategy to go with, as it prevents a team from being well-rounded. Canada’s coaching staff may realize just that and elect to give Nurse the opportunity to prove himself on a huge stage.
