Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

[Spawn]

Omg ppl chill out, he's improving in other facets of his game. Like face offs, i watched the game last night n found he did good. He's still developping so give the kid a break. He's in the nhl for a reason unlike most of us.

Just because he is in the NHL and we aren't means he is immune from criticism?

Improving in faceoffs? He was 41% last year and is 41% this year. He has taken a step back defensively and his offensive game has regressed since his rookie year.

There is literally no aspect in which he is better now than when he first came into the league and is worse in some respects.

 

[Raab]

The fact that RNH is playing around 20 minutes a game and Gordon is at 15 minutes a game may be why we're last in the conference. If it were me I'd have RNH at 16-17 minutes a night Gagner can stay at his 18, and Gordon gets 18. RNH is being severely over worked, could be the reason there's been a drop in his productivity and why he's always missing the net.

 

[Philly85*]

I agree with that. Eakins is a moron, seems like he's bought into the hype of the management, and of the pure skill. This kid is being damaged.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Just because he is in the NHL and we aren't means he is immune from criticism?

Improving in faceoffs? He was 41% last year and is 41% this year. He has taken a step back defensively and his offensive game has regressed since his rookie year.

There is literally no aspect in which he is better now than when he first came into the league and is worse in some respects.

What was his quality competition in his first year and what is it this year? Just curious.

 

[Senor Catface]

FTR, Hopkins is tied for 30th in points for NHL centers.

3 back of Kopitar, Spezza, Datsyuk, Staal, Richards, and Toews.

I don't think this narrative of a 20 year old center who only has 22 points playing in the beast that is the Pacific should translate directly into "worst first pick since Stefan."

Offensively, he'll be fine.

 

[Shanahanigans]

Pretty sure the reason he isn't getting that much stronger is his training. His off season trainer is his older brother Adam(RNH and Adam both said this on Oil Change this year), who plays college hockey for Concordia. Now I'm sure Adam is in great shape and a good trainer, but I personally think RNH should be training with a professional-like how Stamkos trained with Gary Roberts after his rookie year.

 

[Raab]

FTR, Hopkins is tied for 30th in points for NHL centers.

3 back of Kopitar, Spezza, Datsyuk, Staal, Richards, and Toews.

I don't think this narrative of a 20 year old center who only has 22 points playing in the beast that is the Pacific should translate directly into "worst first pick since Stefan."

Offensively, he'll be fine.

All those guys besides Spezza bring a lot more to the table then RNH IMO. I wouldnt want RNH going head to head against any of them right now. Give him 3-4 more years and maybe but right now he needs to be sheltered.

 

[PumpkinBombX]

Pretty sure the reason he isn't getting that much stronger is his training. His off season trainer is his older brother Adam(RNH and Adam both said this on Oil Change this year), who plays college hockey for Concordia. Now I'm sure Adam is in great shape and a good trainer, but I personally think RNH should be training with a professional-like how Stamkos trained with Gary Roberts after his rookie year.

I think nuge has gotten a lot stronger. Also, him and stamkos have different frames. Stamkos didn't need much. When nuge was drafted he was so slight his helmet didn't even fit. I'd say Nuge put on as much muscle mass as his body could hold each year since being drafted, without sacrificing speed. It's one thing to put on muscle, it's another thing to actually get stronger in your core. I think he's doing everything the right way.

 

[Rawg]

RNH at his worst is better then gagner at his best

 

[SometimesY]

Pretty sure the reason he isn't getting that much stronger is his training. His off season trainer is his older brother Adam(RNH and Adam both said this on Oil Change this year), who plays college hockey for Concordia. Now I'm sure Adam is in great shape and a good trainer, but I personally think RNH should be training with a professional-like how Stamkos trained with Gary Roberts after his rookie year.

RNH appears bigger to me. His family are all very light people so I don't think he will get really big. His brother Adam is studying kinesiology which means he is getting an education suitable for a professional trainer. I really see nothing wrong with him having his brother train him.

 

[Mentallydull]

At first I thought this was a joke but wow...

A 20 year-old playing on some of the worst teams in recent memory, who had a bum shoulder, then surgery, and has played about the equivalent of 1.5 seasons is a bum because he's not living up to YOUR expectations of what a #1C should be?

This is so far beyond ridiculous that it's just getting sad/pathetic now.

Just bench him/trade him so we can ***** about not giving him enough of a chance.

 

[Senor Catface]

All those guys besides Spezza bring a lot more to the table then RNH IMO. I wouldnt want RNH going head to head against any of them right now. Give him 3-4 more years and maybe but right now he needs to be sheltered.

Which is why I only said offensively. Part of the point of the original post was how he wasn't matching up with the offense, but part of it is being ignored.

There's only 15 players in the whole NHL who have a PPG of 1 or higher. We shouldn't be looking at a 20 year old kid to break that mold simply because of his draft placement.

 

[Soundwave]

All those guys besides Spezza bring a lot more to the table then RNH IMO. I wouldnt want RNH going head to head against any of them right now. Give him 3-4 more years and maybe but right now he needs to be sheltered.

He'll be ready to take on the big boys in 2 years time. He should be a minimum 10 pounds heavier and have gotten considerably stronger by then.

He needs linemates that aren't trying to toe drag through 3 defenders though and turning the puck over too, it can't just be on him to make his entire line defensively responsible.

 

[SeriousBusiness]

RNH appears bigger to me. His family are all very light people so I don't think he will get really big. His brother Adam is studying kinesiology which means he is getting an education suitable for a professional trainer. I really see nothing wrong with him having his brother train him.

What does his mom weight?

But seriously, Nuge will be fine. Not every player develops in a linear pattern.

 

[Raab]

He'll be ready to take on the big boys in 2 years time. He should be a minimum 10 pounds heavier and have gotten considerably stronger by then.

He needs line mates that aren't trying to toe drag through 3 defenders though and turning the puck over too, it can't just be on him to make his entire line defensively responsible.

I've been hearing that line for the last two years. I highly doubt he puts on any significant weight in the next 2-3 years. And his teammates are one of the only reasons he has as many points as he does. You can't tell me you think he'd have 21 points if he was playing beside Yakupov and Smyth all season.

 

[Raab]

Which is why I only said offensively. Part of the point of the original post was how he wasn't matching up with the offense, but part of it is being ignored.

There's only 15 players in the whole NHL who have a PPG of 1 or higher. We shouldn't be looking at a 20 year old kid to break that mold simply because of his draft placement.

I'm fine with his offensive output, but he has regressed offensively since his rookie season. I think if Eakins would stop putting him out there for 20+ minutes a game the kid may return to form by mid season once he gets his confidence back in that shoulder.(Usually takes guys a few months of playing after shoulder surgery to return to form.)

 

[ZenOil]

The fact that RNH is playing around 20 minutes a game and Gordon is at 15 minutes a game may be why we're last in the conference. If it were me I'd have RNH at 16-17 minutes a night Gagner can stay at his 18, and Gordon gets 18. RNH is being severely over worked, could be the reason there's been a drop in his productivity and why he's always missing the net.

In Eakins universe 28 minutes a night is a walk in the park, so I doubt he would equate The Nuge and his ball of suck with Nuge being over worked.

 

[McGoMcD]

What does his mom weight?

But seriously, Nuge will be fine. Not every player develops in a linear pattern.

His mother was a mudder, his father was a mudder.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

I'm fine with his offensive output, but he has regressed offensively since his rookie season. I think if Eakins would stop putting him out there for 20+ minutes a game the kid may return to form by mid season once he gets his confidence back in that shoulder.(Usually takes guys a few months of playing after shoulder surgery to return to form.)

Again has his quality of competition risen since his rookie season? I am genuinely curious.

 

[Soundwave]

I've been hearing that line for the last two years. I highly doubt he puts on any significant weight in the next 2-3 years. And his teammates are one of the only reasons he has as many points as he does. You can't tell me you think he'd have 21 points if he was playing beside Yakupov and Smyth all season.

Most kids, even skinny ones naturally start gaining weight from age 19/20 to age 23/24.

It's just part of gaining "man strength", it happens for everyone. I doubt you were the exact same weight at age 19 versus 24.

Kinda hard to pack on mass too when you probably are not able to do any upper body weight lifting with heavy weights. Recovering from shoulder surgery I'd imagine shoulder press and all bench/chest exercises were pretty much a no go last summer.

You need to be able to lift heavy to put on mass.

If you're referring to defensive responsibility then absolutely, Hall and Eberle need to clean out a lot of the junk in their games, that can't be all on RNH who plays a considerably simpler game to make up for everything.

 

[Bank Shot]

I'm fine with his offensive output, but he has regressed offensively since his rookie season. I think if Eakins would stop putting him out there for 20+ minutes a game the kid may return to form by mid season once he gets his confidence back in that shoulder.(Usually takes guys a few months of playing after shoulder surgery to return to form.)

That's because he was getting lucky in his rookie season and everyone misinterpreted it to be a sign of his actual talent level.

RNH was first in the league in PP scoring per minutes played in his rookie season. 7.30 per 60 minutes played. In the last two seasons he has since dropped back down to 4.91 and 4.44.

I remember thinking at the time that he was really getting some gift points in his rookie year, and the fact that he hasn't been able to replicate that success means it was likely true.

RNH's offensive production at even strength is actually up a bit this season from his rookie year.

 

[Soundwave]

That's because he was getting lucky in his rookie season and everyone misinterpreted it to be a sign of his actual talent level.

RNH was first in the league in PP scoring per minutes played in his rookie season. 7.30 P/60 played. In the last two he has since dropped back down to 4.91 and 4.44.

I remember thinking at the time that he was really getting some gift points in his rookie year, and the fact that he hasn't been able to replicate that success means it was likely true.

RNH's offensive production at even strength is actually up a bit this season from his rookie year.

The PP this year has been atrocious though, that shouldn't be the average for the Oilers.

 

[Seedling]

All those guys besides Spezza bring a lot more to the table then RNH IMO. I wouldnt want RNH going head to head against any of them right now. Give him 3-4 more years and maybe but right now he needs to be sheltered.

Where exactly do we shelter ANY player on this team? They are all struggling with certain aspects of their game. We do not have enough depth to shelter anyone, especially with injuries.

 

[Raab]

Where exactly do we shelter ANY player on this team? They are all struggling with certain aspects of their game. We do not have enough depth to shelter anyone, especially with injuries.

In the last few games before Gordon got injured Eakins was starting to shelter RNH. But before that he had RNH going head to head against the other teams top lines and he was getting burnt hard. Playing him 25 minutes a night in his first few games back, Eakins burnt the kid out early.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Honestly, RNH has shown he does have the capability play against opposing teams' top lines... he just needs to do it for 7/8 minutes instead of 15. We need to send him, Eberle, Gagner, and J Schultz to Gary Roberts over the summer.