With still more than three months to go, Team Canada has plenty of decisions to make in respect of their roster for the NHL’s Four Nations Faceoff tournament, which will be held in Montreal and Boston. As things stand, Connor McDavid is the only Edmonton Oilers player confirmed to be on team.
Other potential options from the Oilers for Team Canada, include Stuart Skinner, Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman. However, another more surprising candidate out of Edmonton has now emerged as a possibility to be called up for international duty.
During a Tuesday appearance on Oilers Nation Everyday with Tyler Yaremchuk, the Daily Faceoff's Anthony DiMarco suggested that Darnell Nurse could be in line for a roster spot with Team Canada. As per Liam Horrobin of Oilers Nation, DiMarco said:
""Darnell Nurse is in the conversation to play on the third pair and in a penalty-killing role Another name is Travis Sanheim from the Philadelphia Flyers. Both Nurse and Sanheim are competing for that third-pairing, shutdown, penalty-kill role.""
DiMarco didn't stop there, offering more reasoning of why Nurse is being considered for Team Canada. He said:
""One executive did mention the question of how many power-play defencemen Team Canada can have. You need players who can play defensively and fill two-way roles. That’s where Darnell Nurse and Travis Sanheim may be playing their way into a top-six or top-seven role with the team.""
Is Nurse really a genuine candidate?
To say we're taken aback by this possibility, is an understatement. However, don't take this as us looking for an excuse to have a go at Nurse, who has become something of a punching bag in Edmonton.
Of course it doesn't help when you're being paid as much as the 2013 seventh overall draft pick is, after signing an eight-year deal worth an average annual value of $9.25 million. However, take away that he's being paid like a top pairing defenceman, and he isn't even performing up to the level expected of his actual position as part of the Oilers' second pairing.
Nurse had a poor campaign last season, which included him often being perceived as a liability on the Oilers' run all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Unfortunately for everyone concerned in Edmonton, this bad form has spilled over into the current season.
It's not all bad for Nurse
Now we'll acknowledge the effort is still there from the 29-year-old, as noted by being tied for the team lead in blocks and second in hits at the time of writing. Unfortunately for him though this isn't translating into positive results, as partly evidenced by a -6 plus/minus rating which is worst among all Oilers players.
As if this isn't enough, Nurse also sees time on the penalty kill unit for the Oilers. The team ranks worst in the NHL at a 62.1 percent efficiency on the penalty kill, ahead of Wednesday's slate of action.
We appreciate that criticism of this lack of success on the penalty kill and defence in general, can also be extended to Bouchard and particularly Skinner. However, the former is an extremely talented blue liner who is having a decent enough season in his own right, while the latter's potential selection for international duty is symptomatic of Team Canada's potential options between the pipes.
Again, none of this should be perceived as picking on Nurse specifically, who does have talent and displays plenty of toughness in his own right. However, when it comes right down to it -- harsh or not -- there are better defensive alternatives for Team Canada to consider at this time.