Player Discussion Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: The Silent Beast

[MessierII]

It’s so weird to call a defensive center a powerplay specialist. It’s one place I give Eakins credit. He got asked about playing against McDrai and instead called Nuge the best Swiss Army knife player in the league.

Gotta give TMac some credit too. Nuge credits him with helping him re discover his offensive creativity and find balance between offense and defence.

 

[Fourier]

I was supporting, not countering your statement. Its just great to have this Nuge and to have this version of him actualized. Good for him, good for us as fans.

I realized that! It may not have been clear to others.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

So…the older Nuge gets, the better he plays. We need to make sure he’s on a contract when he’s 40 and goes supernova.

 

[The Nuge]

Here you go.

IcyData » Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Stats

Player stats for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

icydata.hockey

Thanks! So he is actually scoring more in close

Gotta give TMac some credit too. Nuge credits him with helping him re discover his offensive creativity and find balance between offense and defence.

Oh for sure. Todd was huge in his resurgence. I just meant it was nice to see an opposing coach specifically mention Nuge instead when asked the usual questions about McDrai, because he does so much more than he’s given credit for. Just look at the ignorance in main board thread where a bunch of people are calling him a 3C

 

[MessierII]

Thanks! So he is actually scoring more in close



Oh for sure. Todd was huge in his resurgence. I just meant it was nice to see an opposing coach specifically mention Nuge instead when asked the usual questions about McDrai, because he does so much more than he’s given credit for. Just look at the ignorance in main board thread where a bunch of people are calling him a 3C

Dallas coached him and knows firsthand what he can do.

 

[Mr Sakich]

Datsyuk-lite

 

[bobbythebrain]

Datsyuk-lite

Amazing season offensively, but there isn't an ounce of Datsyuk there. Nuge defensively isn't even in the same arena

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Amazing season offensively, but there isn't an ounce of Datsyuk there. Nuge defensively isn't even in the same arena

Woof, of course hahaha.

 

[PuckG]

Gotta give TMac some credit too. Nuge credits him with helping him re discover his offensive creativity and find balance between offense and defence.

Out of curiosity, is there a specific interview or source for this? Would like to check it out.

 

[MessierII]

Out of curiosity, is there a specific interview or source for this? Would like to check it out.

It was from an either a post game or a pre game I think during Tippets first year.



This isn’t the one the other one he went into more detail but he kind of says the same thing here.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

You got to give Nuge credit this year. He's made a huge step up offensively and as a team player throwing hands and taking a pay cut to stay here. Love this guy and hope he remains an Oiler for the rest of his career.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Out of curiosity, is there a specific interview or source for this? Would like to check it out.

Probably hard to find, but Tmac moved him to wing and literally said what @Messier11 posted. That Nuge has concentrated on defense soo much that he has to start focusing offense and find that balance

 

[Canovin]

Amazing season offensively, but there isn't an ounce of Datsyuk there. Nuge defensively isn't even in the same arena

Not many similarities but both are underrated fighters

 

[Stoneman89]

It was from an either a post game or a pre game I think during Tippets first year.



This isn’t the one the other one he went into more detail but he kind of says the same thing here.

Jeezus, I wish Nurse would get that freaking scar on his eyebrow fixed. It creeps me out every time I see it. Reminds me of something from a zombie movie.

Not many similarities but both are underrated fighters

Only difference is Datsuyk got worked in his fight. Looked like he was hanging on while taking some big shots. Credit for the takedown though, for what it's worth.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Jeezus, I wish Nurse would get that freaking scar on his eyebrow fixed. It creeps me out every time I see it. Reminds me of something from a zombie movie.



Only difference is Datsuyk got worked in his fight. Looked like he was hanging on while taking some big shots. Credit for the takedown though, for what it's worth.

Nurse has a skin condition

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

It is interesting to see how easily this is dismised as being all about McDavid.

In 2020-21 in 56 games McDavid had 33G 72A 105Pts. Take that pace and prorate it to 75 games and you get 44G 97A 141Pts. Not exactly a big difference from what he is doing this year in terms of total points though the distribution of goals vs assists is different.

In that year Nuge played 53% of his 5 vs 5 time with McDavid. As is the case this year both players were a fixture on the pp. In that year Nuge had 16 G 19A 35Pts in 52 games which is equivalent to 23G 27A 50Pts over 75 games. This year Nuge has played with McDavid 23% of the time 5 vs 5. But this year after 75 games Nuge is sitting at 35G 61A 96Pts.

So here is the question. If this is mostly about McDavid's elevated play why is it that despite playing roughly 60% less with him at ES and about the same on the pp that Nuge's numbers are so much better than in the past even though McDvaid himself is on roughly the same pace as he was that year??? Is it possible that despite McDavid's incredible feats that other players may well be rising to the occasion??

We are seeing a very different Nuge this year. He has been much more aggressive offensively, more similar to his rookie year than to any recent year. His work on the pp has been exceptional even by his standards. But one huge difference is that he seems to me to be really dialed in shooting the puck.

Another significant difference is the quality of line mates finally available on this team. Looking back on that 2020-21 playoffs, the Oilers rolled with the McDavid Draisaitl Stack and followed with Nugent Hopkins with an NHL baby 10 game experience Ryan McLeod and 5 point 27 game injury recovered Zach Kassian. Nuge's production away from the super elites has always been solid.

Having the ability to tap in with top players like Hyman and Kane finally has built out high quality depth that extends beyond two super elites who all coaches have tended to 'break in case of emergency' play together. Nugent Hopkins has been a glue guy asked to take on rotating wingers and line mates; move quite seamlessly between positions whether centre or wing and trusted to help orchestrate the PP attack from the point. It's really great to see him have a historic counting points season where all elements of his Swiss Army knife game shine through. For all of his coaches and teammates these skills and attributes have always been there. Not necessarily some 'new' revelation but all of the work, strength of his well rounded game and hockey IQ, and circumstances of stronger, deeper, better team depth helping to culminate in his season for the ages. It must be a hella season for sure because the game-by-game Nuge bitching of past years has stopped in its tracks. lol.

Nice to see what by all appearances is a quality person succeed in a big, dramatic way in many different areas of this team's success.

 

[CornKicker]

nuge is the catalyst on the PP, he can set up plays and he can score which means just him being on the ice give 97/29 a bit more room to operate. we saw how vital he was to the PP when he went down last year

 

[3IR]

Crazy to think how there were rumours of Nashville turning down Nuge for Jones because they preferred Johanson, who’s now making 8m and sitting at around .5ppg this year.

Also Hall making 6m a year while Nuge makes 5.25, the same as Eberle, with Nuge having more points than both combined this season is something I never could have imagined in the days when the three of them were essentially our entire team.

We are so insanely lucky to have Nuge, and I want nothing more than for him to retire an Oiler.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Crazy to think how there were rumours of Nashville turning down Nuge for Jones because they preferred Johanson, who’s now making 8m and sitting at around .5ppg this year.

Honestly it's not that crazy. Johansen was considered the better player because he had three 60+ point season when he signed that contract while Nuge's had a couple 56 point seasons as a high at the same time.

Personally I've always thought Nuge was the better player but it definitely wasn't a popular opinion at the time, even amongst some Oilers fans on here.

Nashville signed him for that potential back in 2017 and Nuge took a discount in 2021 to stay with a good team. Worked out great for us.

 

[joestevens29]

Honestly it's not that crazy. Johansen was considered the better player because he had three 60+ point season when he signed that contract while Nuge's had a couple 56 point seasons as a high at the same time.

Personally I've always thought Nuge was the better player but it definitely wasn't a popular opinion at the time, even amongst some Oilers fans on here.

Nashville signed him for that potential back in 2017 and Nuge took a discount in 2021 to stay with a good team. Worked out great for us.

Nuge like others got a lot of flack for draft position and not being a franchise center.

 

[Fourier]

Honestly it's not that crazy. Johansen was considered the better player because he had three 60+ point season when he signed that contract while Nuge's had a couple 56 point seasons as a high at the same time.

Personally I've always thought Nuge was the better player but it definitely wasn't a popular opinion at the time, even amongst some Oilers fans on here.

Nashville signed him for that potential back in 2017 and Nuge took a discount in 2021 to stay with a good team. Worked out great for us.

I am not so sure this was the main reason. At the time there was even straw poll by one of the local reporters that had Nuge above Johansen. But at that time everyone was looking for the elusive BIG-skilled center.

That said by then Nuge was a regular whipping-boy here so many would have taken Johansen over Nuge.

 

[ujju2]

I'm going to see game 82 so it would be great if he hits it there. But also I'd love for him to just get it over with on Thursday.

On second thought, I'll probably miss most and maybe all of tonight's game so I hope he doesn't quite get there tonight. Next game.

Honestly it's not that crazy. Johansen was considered the better player because he had three 60+ point season when he signed that contract while Nuge's had a couple 56 point seasons as a high at the same time.

Personally I've always thought Nuge was the better player but it definitely wasn't a popular opinion at the time, even amongst some Oilers fans on here.

Nashville signed him for that potential back in 2017 and Nuge took a discount in 2021 to stay with a good team. Worked out great for us.

Yeah I (obviously) have always been a huge Nuge fan, but I do remember being one of the only voices at the time saying Nuge was better than Johansen.

 

[bucks_oil]

Another significant difference is the quality of line mates finally available on this team. Looking back on that 2020-21 playoffs, the Oilers rolled with the McDavid Draisaitl Stack and followed with Nugent Hopkins with an NHL baby 10 game experience Ryan McLeod and 5 point 27 game injury recovered Zach Kassian. Nuge's production away from the super elites has always been solid.

Having the ability to tap in with top players like Hyman and Kane finally has built out high quality depth that extends beyond two super elites who all coaches have tended to 'break in case of emergency' play together. Nugent Hopkins has been a glue guy asked to take on rotating wingers and line mates; move quite seamlessly between positions whether centre or wing and trusted to help orchestrate the PP attack from the point. It's really great to see him have a historic counting points season where all elements of his Swiss Army knife game shine through. For all of his coaches and teammates these skills and attributes have always been there. Not necessarily some 'new' revelation but all of the work, strength of his well rounded game and hockey IQ, and circumstances of stronger, deeper, better team depth helping to culminate in his season for the ages. It must be a hella season for sure because the game-by-game Nuge bitching of past years has stopped in its tracks. lol.

Nice to see what by all appearances is a quality person succeed in a big, dramatic way in many different areas of this team's success.

Agree... the silence is blissful. And every once in a while you'll hear a few of the loudest critics politely enjoying some crow... "it's nice seeing Nuge finally play to his potential"

I really want to see 100 and fully expect him to settle into 80, 80, 70, 60, 60, 50 point seasons as he ages gracefully without hurting us. He's going to be a great mentor to youth on the third line some day.

 

[bucks_oil]

nuge is the catalyst on the PP, he can set up plays and he can score which means just him being on the ice give 97/29 a bit more room to operate. we saw how vital he was to the PP when he went down last year

Super underrated playmaker and THE BEST puck recovery relief valve in the league. Nuge just has the knack for protecting the puck on the power play and getting it away from pressure. The weak side guy always has that hard job (since they have to recover every missed shot or pucks ringed around in desperation).

As you say, it's those little plays that create the space for McDrai to exploit.

 

[OiledUp]

Not half bad for a #3C.