Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- Thread starter Llamamoto
- Start date
Mclellan started to revive the offense in RNH's game. He was broken like all the Oilers were by Eakins, that shit takes time to undo. Anyone watching him play this year though will absolutely be shocked at how effective the guy is. He's playing some excellent hockey this season. Too bad the Oilers as a team couldn't score in a whore house with a fistful of hundred dollar bills.
Sweetpotato
Registered User
He's not a #1 in the traditional sense but depending on your team comp he can be. He can also play either wing just as well.
He's imo one of the most underrated players in the nhl because of his draft position.
I think what holds him back is he's not "the guy" and he thinks it to. He defers too much to his team mates and plays safe often. In his rookie season he was the focal point of the offense and it showed.
If he's ever moved I think everyone will be shocked, which will be hilarious for us oil fans....and depressing.
He's imo one of the most underrated players in the nhl because of his draft position.
I think what holds him back is he's not "the guy" and he thinks it to. He defers too much to his team mates and plays safe often. In his rookie season he was the focal point of the offense and it showed.
If he's ever moved I think everyone will be shocked, which will be hilarious for us oil fans....and depressing.
You mean like how Hall was over rated and not that good and not capable of being a leader on a team until he was traded from Edmonton?
Sweetpotato
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Sky04
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In a sheltered role and mostly on the PP, when he was used in a bigger role what happened? Couple more 29th/30th finishes and not a single season close to that production again?
Llamamoto
Nice Bison. Kind Bison. Yep.
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Sky04
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Huh? You posted stats from his rookie season, he was completely sheltered that year and got exposed every year after.
Llamamoto
Nice Bison. Kind Bison. Yep.
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He hasn't been sheltered for the past two seasons and has a ppg in his past 50.
agent082
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ManofSteel55
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Exactly. Hall needed a boot in the backside. Being traded and still missing the playoffs helped him mature a great deal.
No he hasn't. His PPG is 0.88 in his last 50 games:
NHL.com - Stats
Since the start of 17/18, he is 67th in PPG and 33rd among Centres.
crackdown44
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~40ish of his past 50 games have been on McDavid’s wing. The last 20 or so of last season and the first 20 or so of this one. He’s only been used as the 2C in the last like 5-10 games of that 50 game sample size lol
ManwithNoIdentity
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Jamin
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Ill always wonder what might have been if his skate didnt get stuck in a rut his rookie year. Never looked as shifty or dynamic as he used to.
The team tried turning him into a d first center due to no depth and he treaded water for years with spurts of looking elite.
The coaches telling him to focus more on offence has made that part of his game better but still not where it was in his rookie year.
I really do think people need to drop all the prior seasons and actually look at what the guy started doing last year and has continued to do this season. They hammered so hard on the young players on the Oilers that they had to play defense first and RNH took that to heart and dropped all the creativity from his game. He's worked on getting that back now and he is looking dangerous while still being pretty reliable all over the ice. He was the one player that Mclellan really did help, and I think Hitchcock is helping him even more (Hitch always praised RNH when coaching other teams)
This is not the player of a couple seasons ago, he's playing some damned fine hockey this year, and I would say he looks even better centering his own line than he did with McDavid (think that he isn't able to play as many minutes as McDavid and wore down with the workload, but no one can play that many minutes except McDavid)
This is not the player of a couple seasons ago, he's playing some damned fine hockey this year, and I would say he looks even better centering his own line than he did with McDavid (think that he isn't able to play as many minutes as McDavid and wore down with the workload, but no one can play that many minutes except McDavid)
He doesn't pass the eye test for me. He hasn't produced in his last few years as a center away from McDavid. Sure his point totals look good but he's not taking over games or anything
He's not a core piece or an impact player on the current iteration of the Oilers. A nice player to have I guess but he's a disappointing player relative to his draft expectations and hype
He's not a core piece or an impact player on the current iteration of the Oilers. A nice player to have I guess but he's a disappointing player relative to his draft expectations and hype
From what I remember there were 4 potential 1st overalls that year with no clear consensus on who was #1.
That's never been a great sign of high-end potential.
Oilers needed a C, and took the flashiest centre in RNH, but it really could have been Huberdeau or Couturier.
None of them really put up significantly impressive Junior campaigns.
KidLine93
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- May 15, 2012
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Using your logic Taylor hall is bad because we had him and ended up with Mcdavid. Even though hall has just won a hart trophy. I think RNH is a 2c but just had to point out how poor of an argument u just used.
ujju2
Registered User
Definitely a low-end 1C (still improving, wouldn't be surprised to see him as an average 1C by season's end), or an elite 2C.
NeverForget06
Here we go again !
Nuge is an extremely effective player. Not flashy, not a ton of high end offensive skill, but very responsible in his own zone, and always brings a solid compete level.
I have a lot of respect for him and all of the BS he has had to put up during his time as an Oiler.
He's never been a #1 centre, and thats perfectly fine. I would say he's the best true second line centre in the game (players like Malkin etc are all 1Cs that just play on stacked teams). He should never be leading the charge, but he's a great compliment to any strong first line.
I have a lot of respect for him and all of the BS he has had to put up during his time as an Oiler.
He's never been a #1 centre, and thats perfectly fine. I would say he's the best true second line centre in the game (players like Malkin etc are all 1Cs that just play on stacked teams). He should never be leading the charge, but he's a great compliment to any strong first line.
ujju2
Registered User
You just made it clear you haven't watched him at all this season or most of last. Like even last night I'd say he was the biggest reason the Oilers won.
