Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

[CupofOil]

I agree with this. He’s been a 1C for a huge chunk of his career. He’s a low end #1 centre.

Love Nuge, not a #1 center. Lets not do this.
He's turning into an elite #2 center though.

 

[Joey Moss]

RNH has always been a damn good player, criminally underrated because he's considered a disappointing 1st overall pick. Couturier had his breakout season at the age of 25, it's not out of question to think RNH will follow this same path.

 

[crackdown44]

No Couturier?

Pretty sure he just went off the top of his head. There’s probably some guys could be added and some could be removed from that list

 

[WesMcCauley]

RNH has always been a damn good player, criminally underrated because he's considered a disappointing 1st overall pick. Couturier had his breakout season at the age of 25, it's not out of question to think RNH will follow this same path.

He really hasnt been a damn good player. He had a solid start to his career but then it went the other way. Struggled to create offense and was constantly outplayed by opposing teams top players.

That doesnt mean he isnt a good player but people trying to call him a legit #1C now because of him beeing close to a ppg after 30 games where he has been playing a lot with McDavid is pretty weird. He is a 45-60 point player based on a good or bad season without playing with McDavid. No one should be surprised that he can produce more when he has been on the ice with McDavid as much as he has.

If you put RNH on for example NYR instead of Zibanejad i have a hard time seeing RNH drive the play like Zibanejad does for them with very little support. Its a completely different world playing with an elite player compared to playing with a 50 point player.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Well, he’s better than drai

 

[snipes]

Ference should keep making Nuge angry.

An angry Nuge is a good Nuge.

 

[SirloinUB]

I don't want to say he is underrated because I think anyone who watches him knows he brings more to the table than just offence. I've always loved his approach to the game; smart, hardworking and quick. He'll be a good player for a long time and at 6 Million, id say he is a pretty good deal.

 

[Seanaconda]

No Couturier?

Take rakell out and put whoever there cuz he is a winger / not that great at center

 

[Paralyzer]

He really hasnt been a damn good player. He had a solid start to his career but then it went the other way. Struggled to create offense and was constantly outplayed by opposing teams top players.

That doesnt mean he isnt a good player but people trying to call him a legit #1C now because of him beeing close to a ppg after 30 games where he has been playing a lot with McDavid is pretty weird. He is a 45-60 point player based on a good or bad season without playing with McDavid. No one should be surprised that he can produce more when he has been on the ice with McDavid as much as he has.

If you put RNH on for example NYR instead of Zibanejad i have a hard time seeing RNH drive the play like Zibanejad does for them with very little support. Its a completely different world playing with an elite player compared to playing with a 50 point player.

You tell me he's struggled, when the WHOLE TEAM struggled when they were under Eakins. They tried to turn Nuge into something he isn't. He was basically told to be a defensive center and to work on that instead of his offense. How can you expect anything from him if you are asking him to play a foreign type of hockey that he never grew up with? it happens.

Playing a lot with McDavid? he played like 8 games with him! The rest of the time, he was away from him, playing with Puljujarvi, Chaisson, Caggiula, and Lucic.

Look at above comment for my answer. If he can pull a line of those players above, then he most certainly can pull NYR's first line.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

You tell me he's struggled, when the WHOLE TEAM struggled when they were under Eakins. They tried to turn Nuge into something he isn't. He was basically told to be a defensive center and to work on that instead of his offense. How can you expect anything from him if you are asking him to play a foreign type of hockey that he never grew up with? it happens.

Playing a lot with McDavid? he played like 8 games with him! The rest of the time, he was away from him, playing with Puljujarvi, Chaisson, Caggiula, and Lucic.

Look at above comment for my answer. If he can pull a line of those players above, then he most certainly can pull NYR's first line.

Funny he's spent more even strength ice time with McDavid this year than without him. And he's on the first PP unit with him as well. McDavid has had a hand in half of his points this year. But sure act like he never plays with him.

 

[WesMcCauley]

You tell me he's struggled, when the WHOLE TEAM struggled when they were under Eakins. They tried to turn Nuge into something he isn't. He was basically told to be a defensive center and to work on that instead of his offense. How can you expect anything from him if you are asking him to play a foreign type of hockey that he never grew up with? it happens.

Playing a lot with McDavid? he played like 8 games with him! The rest of the time, he was away from him, playing with Puljujarvi, Chaisson, Caggiula, and Lucic.

Look at above comment for my answer. If he can pull a line of those players above, then he most certainly can pull NYR's first line.

McDavid was his most common linemate the first 20 games of the season... He also has 12 points on the pp playing with McDavid.

You are completely missing the point though. Read my post again and i dont really see what there is to disagree with. He is not close to a legit #1C, he isnt scoring at that pace unless he is on McDavids wing. Which if fine, it just means he is a 45-60 point player without McDavid which is second line center numbers. No team in the NHL would be happy if they had RNH as their #1C.... That doesnt mean he isnt a good player, because he is. It just means he isnt a #1C which is extremely obvious if you actually look at his career so far.

 

[OilCanada92]

He really hasnt been a damn good player. He had a solid start to his career but then it went the other way. Struggled to create offense and was constantly outplayed by opposing teams top players.

That doesnt mean he isnt a good player but people trying to call him a legit #1C now because of him beeing close to a ppg after 30 games where he has been playing a lot with McDavid is pretty weird. He is a 45-60 point player based on a good or bad season without playing with McDavid. No one should be surprised that he can produce more when he has been on the ice with McDavid as much as he has.

If you put RNH on for example NYR instead of Zibanejad i have a hard time seeing RNH drive the play like Zibanejad does for them with very little support. Its a completely different world playing with an elite player compared to playing with a 50 point player.

He has 12 points in his last 14 games and those were without McDavid. He's done that while playing with basically no one on the second line.

He also has 70 points in his last 82 games so it's not like the production has come out of no where. People just weren't paying attention.

 

[ImNeverWrong]

yeah i like nuge, solid player. very underrated. unlike drai, he's not as reliant on mcdavid to produce...hes also much better defensively.

 

[Paralyzer]

McDavid was his most common linemate the first 20 games of the season... He also has 12 points on the pp playing with McDavid.

You are completely missing the point though. Read my post again and i dont really see what there is to disagree with. He is not close to a legit #1C, he isnt scoring at that pace unless he is on McDavids wing. Which if fine, it just means he is a 45-60 point player without McDavid which is second line center numbers. No team in the NHL would be happy if they had RNH as their #1C.... That doesnt mean he isnt a good player, because he is. It just means he isnt a #1C which is extremely obvious if you actually look at his career so far.

Same could be said about Bergeron but people still consider him a #1C on half of the teams in the NHL.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Same could be said about Bergeron but people still consider him a #1C on half of the teams in the NHL.

No it couldnt. Bergeron is the best defensive forward in the NHL and he can produce elite #1C numbers when actually playing the #1C role.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Wish he would just pick a last name you know

 

[Paralyzer]

No it couldnt. Bergeron is the best defensive forward in the NHL and he can produce elite #1C numbers when actually playing the #1C role.

Sigh...

 

[Joey Moss]

He really hasnt been a damn good player. He had a solid start to his career but then it went the other way. Struggled to create offense and was constantly outplayed by opposing teams top players.

That doesnt mean he isnt a good player but people trying to call him a legit #1C now because of him beeing close to a ppg after 30 games where he has been playing a lot with McDavid is pretty weird. He is a 45-60 point player based on a good or bad season without playing with McDavid. No one should be surprised that he can produce more when he has been on the ice with McDavid as much as he has.

If you put RNH on for example NYR instead of Zibanejad i have a hard time seeing RNH drive the play like Zibanejad does for them with very little support. Its a completely different world playing with an elite player compared to playing with a 50 point player.

False.. no need to really dive in more here.

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

Love Nuge, not a #1 center. Lets not do this.
He's turning into an elite #2 center though.

He's the ideal dude a cup contender will have as there 2nd line C.. Unless you have Crosby and Malkin.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Funny he's spent more even strength ice time with McDavid this year than without him. And he's on the first PP unit with him as well. McDavid has had a hand in half of his points this year. But sure act like he never plays with him.

Why are Oiler players the only ones penalized for playing with other good players

 

[WesMcCauley]

Why are Oiler players the only ones penalized for playing with other good players

They arent the only ones. When a player has proven over many years that he cant center a top line but suddenly his numbers skyrockets when he gets to play on McDavids wing and on the pp with McDavid, you know that guy isnt a #1C.