Hall of Fame NHL defenseman Chris Pronger believes that Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse is playing at his highest level because he has learned that sometimes simplifying his game is more effective, realizing that passing the puck can be a better option than skating it.
Speaking with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now, Pronger emphasized that the puck moves faster than any player can, which is an important realization for NHL defensemen.
“Nurse was such a strong skater in junior that he could often skate his way out of trouble and create another play. But at the NHL level, he’s not an elite skater,” Pronger explained.
He continued, “When he was developing, he tended to try to do too much. Back when I scouted him in junior, the criticism was that he was always trying to skate his way out of difficult situations. But in the NHL, unless you’re an elite skater like Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, you won’t skate your way out of trouble—you’re just going to end up in more trouble.”
Pronger wrapped up by saying, “It’s a learning process. You take your lumps, and you have to understand what works, how to simplify your game, and learn from your experiences.”
