Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Meanashell11

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Jan 3, 2003
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Again who is saying trade RNH? There might be the odd post but thats not what the thread is at all about or the discussion is about.

I agree with you on the Lecavalier situation. The Yzerman situation was imo much different and due to a pretty intense fanbase like this one. Just because people get upset doesn't mean they want rid of everybody. I don't (exception Eberle tbh) I just want them to learn to be better players.

I am talking about the criticism and impatience. Go to the Change the culture thread and look how many doornobs want to trade all the kids and sign Toby Peterson. Bolts don't win in 2004 if they panic like many here are doing. As for "we can fire the coach because we have had 4 in 5 seasons", well if that's the only reason then I think it is an option. How many Stanley Cup do you think Mario Tremblay cost the Canadiens because he caused them to lose Roy.
 

Replacement*

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And on the brink has nothing to do with the oilers has to do with my name and company. Don't read into stuff so much bud.

My post somewhat was a rant and your last point about hemsky is exactly the point I was making when you surround young players with big egos with guys like hemsky, Whitney etc... What do you expect? At least Ference and Gordon are steps in the right direction, IMO.

My rant wasn't directed toward op but some of the other posts.

As far as pre Madonnas go I think that Nuge is probably down the list in that regards but that is just my opinion as I don't know the guy personally.

Don't get me wrong I have had enough of this losing BS, but what do you expect when all your impact players are under 24 and have been groomed in a losing culture. Don't think I'm giving te young guys a pass though, Eberle is now entering his prime and should be more of a leader for the young guys but he seems content not back checking and toe dragging around the ice.

I know all is Oil fans are impatient and rightfully so, but the best cure for this team unfortunately is time. RNH, Yak and even Hall are still a few years from their prime, and all of the defensemen with high upside in the system are still in juniors or AHL.

But until we get a legit starter in net this team is doomed.

Thanks for clarifying. It just gets my dander up a little when the blanket "people need to get their heads out of their ass" or some such statement is made. I dunno. I just see it as dismissive sometimes.
A lot of what you see here are reactions, from fans, from people that don't actually have any responsible affiliation for team, decision, and management. Who would probably demonstrate more responsibility if it was their employ.

As you state its perfectly reasonable that people are frustrated. Such reaction contains all kinds of response. Doesn't mean people REALLY advocate that such thing is done. Just that they wish it in moment of anger.

I kicked a chair, damn broken chair deserved it, it was evil...;)
 

Rafters

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Aug 10, 2003
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To expect a 20yr old to be the #1 center that leads u to the playoffs is just silly...RNH/Gagner is not quite the same as Crosby/Malkin....said it before....for RNH to succeed and develop properly he should be a 2nd line center for a couple more years
 

fuswald

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Dec 10, 2008
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except that datsyuk and RNH play the game very similarly while brule and RNH don't play anything alike... RNH and datsyuk is actually one of the few examples where i agree with comparing players..... its never fair to the younger player, just like its not fair to RNH in this example, but as far as style of play, position, size, stick work and positioning on the ice, the two players really are good comparisons for one another

its doubtful that RNH is ever as good as datsyuk (who is a first-ballot hall of famer for sure), but that doesn't mean the style comparison isn't valuable when discussing RNH... in fact its very valuable

comparing brule to RNH does what exactly?

I believe rnh will be as good as Datsyuk. 20years old and playing against the games best every single night on a system that somehow makes ALL top players fail.

He will become elite. This system will make him better, he will learn from it.
 

Jtown

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Oct 6, 2010
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To expect a 20yr old to be the #1 center that leads u to the playoffs is just silly...RNH/Gagner is not quite the same as Crosby/Malkin....said it before....for RNH to succeed and develop properly he should be a 2nd line center for a couple more years

Exactly. For too long this organization has been delusional with expections vs reality.

Expectations : This is a team ready to compete for a playoff spot
Reality : This team is young and years a way from a playoff spot and Getting a first pick is best for this team right now.

Expectations: Lie to fanbase about where the organization is at
Reality: Team falls flat on their face and the fanbase is in full blow panic mode.


this team is 2 plus years away at the least from making the playoffs. In that time they need to find a real 2nd line center and more two way forwards, a goaltender that can provide atleast a 915 save percentage and 2 more shut down dmen.
 

oilersfan780

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Oct 31, 2013
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The only thing worse than the way the oilers are playing right now is the fans.

RNH isn't the problem, Eberle isn't our problem, Hall isn't our problem. We have forwards who can score. Our problem is our absolutely horrendous defense. We don't even have defense, we have pylons which occasionally move. How many games have we been scored on first this season?

We can't defend worth crap and then get mad at the goalie when we allow a sniper to walk into the slot pretty much like a breakaway or 2 on 1's, 3 on 1's that we allow every period multiple times.

Getting a good goalie isn't going to make a difference. We need defense.
 

Brewster

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Mar 20, 2012
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Anyone else extremely underwhelmed with him? He doesn't get the flak that Ebs get, but plays an almost identically soft, disinterested game. Doesn't go to the hard areas and seem to have lost all of is powerplay mojo.
 

Bryanbryoil

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Sep 13, 2004
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Anyone else extremely underwhelmed with him? He doesn't get the flak that Ebs get, but plays an almost identically soft, disinterested game. Doesn't go to the hard areas and seem to have lost all of is powerplay mojo.

Besides Perron, Arcobello, Gordon and Bryzgalov, I'd say that no one has played up to potential. He is playing well defensively but he needs to get stronger to take his game to the next level.
 

ohheyhemsky

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Nov 1, 2010
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Besides Perron, Arcobello, Gordon and Bryzgalov, I'd say that no one has played up to potential. He is playing well defensively but he needs to get stronger to take his game to the next level.

He needs to hit the net. That's what he needs to do. This guy should have a shooting percentage of -43%.
 

Replacement*

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Nuge is playing awful. tonight on for both GA, didn't create much all night. soft, just brutal play on the shift leading to the winning GA.

Nuge has 35 GA this season. Shockingly bad. Not driving much of the pts either.
 

Bryanbryoil

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He needs to hit the net. That's what he needs to do. This guy should have a shooting percentage of -43%.

Yeah that would help. If he shot the puck for rebounds on the PP that would help give him some added space out there and create opportunities for Perron.
 
Oct 30, 2011
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We need more production from him to win more games. It's that simple. He plays a lot of minutes.

I won't put it all on RNH though.

Gagner's production has been underwhelming as well.

We need more points from our centres.
 
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Mr Positive

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Center is the toughest forward position. It carries the most responsibility.

When the team is dysfunctional, it's hardest on the players with the most responsibility. Hopefully, while RNH grows and develops the team around him gets better, and then he will look like a totally different player.
 

Up the Irons

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Mar 9, 2008
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ok, he's not setting the world on fire. I've changed my mind about many of the Oilers, but RNH and Hall are still my only two untradeables. RNH will be something like a Henrik Sedin and will take about as long to dominate. not the least bit worried about the Nuge being a bust. he'll be fine, he'll a very good to great number 1 C.
 

harpoon

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Dec 23, 2005
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To expect a 20yr old to be the #1 center that leads u to the playoffs is just silly...RNH/Gagner is not quite the same as Crosby/Malkin....said it before....for RNH to succeed and develop properly he should be a 2nd line center for a couple more years
Yes, but its interesting that the posters who disparage Gagner and say he'll never be good enough, are to a man the same posters who have assumed since day one that RNH is going to be an elite first line center. First cracks appearing in that theory I guess.

David Legwand is a nice player. No shame in that.
 

harpoon

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Dec 23, 2005
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RNH will be making $1.2 million more than Sam Gagner for the next 2 years beyond this one, let that sink in for a minute. Gagner has been **** this season and besides a 25-30 game stretch last season has been **** his entire career. RNH has been doing pretty well offensively especially since our PP has been out of sorts this season and historically he has made hay on the PP.

He may not hit 100 points but Gagner blows so let's not compare the two.
Why you need to bring Gagner into it Bryan?

If you want to buy CupOfOil's post then everything in it (word for word, except its five coaches instead of three for Gags) applies to Gagner. But no. When someone makes that post in defense of Gagner you call it excuses. You want to emphasize every year of Gagner's career and act like he's played six seasons on a real NHL team. Are you going to consider these first three stunted seasons for RNH when you make your evaluation of this player in two year's time? If so then why can't you see that the same applies to Gagner.

If you spend seven years in a cult are you better or worse off than the guy who arrived three years ago? More, or less to blame for your blindness?
 

StoveTopStauffer

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Apr 6, 2012
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Nuge is playing awful. tonight on for both GA, didn't create much all night. soft, just brutal play on the shift leading to the winning GA.

Nuge has 35 GA this season. Shockingly bad. Not driving much of the pts either.

Pretty mediocre game from him I agree but not awful imo he was also the one who saved the last play from going out from your boy Gagner making an absolutely Pejorative Slured play in the last 20 seconds.

Being on for both goals against? Did you see the first goal against? was Ferences fault followed by a Dubbie special. The second one I agree he tried to do too much and I also thought majority of the team was worse than him. Hall with 6 or 7 blatant giveaways, Yak the same, Eberle was invisible, Perron was mediocre
 

duul

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Jun 21, 2010
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Yes, but its interesting that the posters who disparage Gagner and say he'll never be good enough, are to a man the same posters who have assumed since day one that RNH is going to be an elite first line center. First cracks appearing in that theory I guess.

David Legwand is a nice player. No shame in that.

RNH's passing skills alone should allow him to be a #1C in this league. He is young and weak but his skills are undeniable. Hopefully he ends up putting on weight over the next few years.

I think we need someone like Gordon matching up against other teams top lines as much as possible. Since Gagner is struggling...

Perron-RNH-Yakupov
Hall-Gordon-Eberle
Smyth-Gagner-Arcobello
Gazdic-Lander-Pitlick
 

Kepler 186f

Red Shifted
Dec 17, 2007
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Pretty mediocre game from him I agree but not awful imo he was also the one who saved the last play from going out from your boy Gagner making an absolutely Pejorative Slured play in the last 20 seconds.

Being on for both goals against? Did you see the first goal against? was Ferences fault followed by a Dubbie special. The second one I agree he tried to do too much and I also thought majority of the team was worse than him. Hall with 6 or 7 blatant giveaways, Yak the same, Eberle was invisible, Perron was mediocre

Wrong. Hemsky kept it in at the point and threw the puck on net.
 

Brewster

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Mar 20, 2012
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Apparently, after the Calgary loss, the worst first overall pick since Patrik Stefan.

Let that sink in.
Obviously that's a knee-jerk reaction as Saturday may have been his worst game of the season, but his regression in ability to generate scoring chances is concerning. Hopefully he can right the ship soon, because as an above poster said, we don't win without him producing.
 

McGoMcD

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Aug 14, 2005
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I believe rnh will be as good as Datsyuk. 20years old and playing against the games best every single night on a system that somehow makes ALL top players fail.

He will become elite. This system will make him better, he will learn from it.

Agreed. I have no idea what people expect from him. He gets pushed off the puck some times, but, for all those times he gets the puck due to his great positional play. He plays a smart game. He has one of the highest hockey IQs in the game. As his body catches up to his smarts he is going to be very good. Hall and Nuge are the last things I worry about on this team. Both are going to be star players, both might already be star players.
 

McGoMcD

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Aug 14, 2005
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We need more production from him to win more games. It's that simple. He plays a lot of minutes.

I won't put it all on RNH though.

Gagner's production has been underwhelming as well.

We need more points from our centres.

Agree with this as well. Nuge needs to produce more. He seems to be out of sorts esspecially on the powerplay, not sure why. They really need to get the pp going. As much as I have stood up for Gagner, he needs to be a 60 point guy to justify his contract, clearly he is not doing that this year..
 

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