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Player Discussion Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: The Silent Beast

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Drivesaitl said:
On one play in first round Nuge barely got raked with a high stick behind goal. It was just the standard try to hook the stick play. Sensing mortal injury he flew right down the tunnel. Guy appears to have a pain threshold of a preschooler.

I think somebody probably mentioned it but a trick hangnail could probably be his undoing in some games.

Nuge reverted back to his standard game where he didn't want to get hit. Its unfortunate as he had a good regular season and he was better in playoffs last season than this but he can't be in the running for worst player on the team in the playoffs at this tenure and contract. Its really disappointing he didn't leave more on the ice even if injured.

Its like Mclellan nailed several years ago. You watch Nuge in playoffs and the sense is he's not giving it all on the ice. Mc said it in the nicest way possible but the message was pretty clear.
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Let's say that it was ribs or a back issue, either one is good enough to make most players avoid contact like the plague. We may never know what the issue was, but having seen him play as well as he did this season I will give him (and Hyman as well as Kane) the benefit of the doubt. The one thing that you cannot control as a team is the health of your players when the chips are down. Had all 3 of the above guys been healthy we might still be playing hockey right now.
 
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Bryanbryoil said:
Let's say that it was ribs or a back issue, either one is good enough to make most players avoid contact like the plague. We may never know what the issue was, but having seen him play as well as he did this season I will give him (and Hyman as well as Kane) the benefit of the doubt. The one thing that you cannot control as a team is the health of your players when the chips are down. Had all 3 of the above guys been healthy we might still be playing hockey right now.
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Not in the Playoffs Bryan. you play through what it is and take painkillers and get through it.

Rib pain of course can be excruciating but we don't know thats what it is. Really we don't know he was even injured at all.

Could have even had the flu that Ryan got.

McD was high sometimes it seems he was taking heavy painkillers in playoffs. Seemed like he was hurt and taking something. There were even 5mins spurts where we would see normal McD and then back to something else when painkillers wear out. Was most noticeable in LA series.

In anycase if you're out on the ice in the playoffs, and medical staff approve it then it has to be considered that its not something that can get a whole lot worse in an instant like cracked or broken ribs. I'd like to think they wouldn't be putting a player out there in that condition. So I doubt it.
 
Drivesaitl said:
Not in the Playoffs Bryan. you play through what it is and take painkillers and get through it.

Rib pain of course can be excruciating but we don't know thats what it is. Really we don't know he was even injured at all.

Could have even had the flu that Ryan got.

McD was high sometimes it seems he was taking heavy painkillers in playoffs. Seemed like he was hurt and taking something. There were even 5mins spurts where we would see normal McD and then back to something else when painkillers wear out. Was most noticeable in LA series.

In anycase if you're out on the ice in the playoffs, and medical staff approve it then it has to be considered that its not something that can get a whole lot worse in an instant like cracked or broken ribs. I'd like to think they wouldn't be putting a player out there in that condition. So I doubt it.
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Much easier said that done. Cracked ribs, a wretched back, etc. are not things that magically get better with painkillers. That being said I have no clue what the actual injury was, just baseless speculation on my part on things that could've greatly affected a player's ability to play at a high level. I have 0 doubt that Connor was playing hurt as well and said as much before the playoffs.
 
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Just want to say that back check and stick lift on the breakaway was one of the best plays of the season by any Oiler. We see plenty of single-handed plays leading to goals that get intensely celebrated. That back check had the same net effect.

And I won't mention any names, but there were two players in the background of that play that easily could have made that effort, but didn't, I was disappointed in them. When you talk about leadership and personal responsibility Nuge gets it...

... and for those who still play the game, your goalie is always watching by the way. Even if Nuge doesn't get there, he's trying and at least his goalie knows he might get there in time to clear the rebound. As a goalie, it's huge knowing you only have to stop the first one on a breakaway and huge knowing that player is feeling the back-pressure. And unfortunately, it's even more impactful when you see your guys have already given up on the play either because they don't think you'll make the save or they are just too lazy (or defeatist) to care - neither are good for the psyche. It's terrible team play and loser hockey.
 
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Can someone with more extensive knowledge tell me more about this player?

Seems to have the offensive tools and iq to simply ignore the other side of the ice, however has sacrificed putting up 120+ point seasons and has put a huge emphasis on an overall game all while taking a discount to stay in Edmonton.

Does he really like it there in Edmonton? Has he committed all in to the city and team and will do anything to win?

Seems rather odd to see a player sacrifice stats and change his game to 200 feet while possessing all the skills to just feed in the offensive zone and cash a large pay cheque.

I’ve just never seen a prototypical high offensive iq, gamebreaking chess move passes take a discount and commit to winning so heavily.
 
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Akrapovince said:
Can someone with more extensive knowledge tell me more about this player?

Seems to have the offensive tools and iq to simply ignore the other side of the ice, however has sacrificed putting up 120+ point seasons and has put a huge emphasis on an overall game all while taking a discount to stay in Edmonton.

Does he really like it there in Edmonton? Has he committed all in to the city and team and will do anything to win?

Seems rather odd to see a player sacrifice stats and change his game to 200 feet while possessing all the skills to just feed in the offensive zone and cash a large pay cheque.

I’ve just never seen a prototypical high offensive iq, gamebreaking chess move passes take a discount and commit to winning so heavily.
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He's a beauty. Not quite what you'd hope for out of a 1st overall, but he's a very quiet, all situations guy who compliments high end talent very well because he thinks it really well too. The fact that he likes Edmonton and wants to commit his career there is a bonus.

Man has been through the absolute meat grinder that has been the Oilers over the his career, seen more coaches and GM's any one player should see, changed his game to help the team everywhere he can, and didn't want the moon contract wise to do it.

Clearly I'm a big fan.
#1stCareerOiler
 
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Akrapovince said:
Can someone with more extensive knowledge tell me more about this player?
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RNH was always a cerebral player. Even in Red Deer. Some junior stars are just better athletes than their peers, but not really Nuge. You could also see that in his rookie season with the Oilers as a weak / undersized player but with great instincts and creativity. If he doesn't go down with injury that year, he wins the Calder by a landslide.

Unfortunately, it was Dallas Eakins who kind of hammered that safe/ defenisve-first mantra into RNH (to his detriment IMO). It's no surprise that he kind of cooled-off mid career and many Oilers fans were left wondering "that's it?!".

Thankfully the Oilers drafted two all-world centres and thanks to a Bill Peters experiment at the 2018 IHWC, we later learned that RNH could be an excellent LW. Shifting to the wing has allowed his offensive game to shine again.
 
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Zenos said:
RNH was always a cerebral player. Even in Red Deer. Some junior stars are just better athletes than their peers, but not really Nuge. You could also see that in his rookie season with the Oilers as a weak / undersized player but with great instincts and creativity. If he doesn't go down with injury that year, he wins the Calder by a landslide.

Unfortunately, it was Dallas Eakins who kind of hammered that safe/ defenisve-first mantra into RNH (to his detriment IMO). It's no surprise that he kind of cooled-off mid career and many Oilers fans were left wondering "that's it?!".

Thankfully the Oilers drafted two all-world centres and thanks to a Bill Peters experiment at the 2018 IHWC, we later learned that RNH could be an excellent LW. Shifting to the wing has allowed his offensive game to shine again.
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We were screwed out of 3 Calder awards by injury for 2 with Nuge and McDavid, and earlier, with Gretz getting screwed by the NHL's petty rules. Later, Sergei Makarov comes into the league and wins the Calder at age 31 (of course, as a Flame).
 
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Stoneman89 said:
We were screwed out of 3 Calder awards by injury for 2 with Nuge and McDavid, and earlier, with Gretz getting screwed by the NHL's petty rules. Later, Sergei Makarov comes into the league and wins the Calder at age 31 (of course, as a Flame).
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Skinner should have won last year
 
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