Player Discussion The Future of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 3: Playoffs Edition

[bucks_oil]

I sh** on RNH all of last season. I was sick of his play and thought we needed either an upgrade or more depth and balance to take some weight off of him.

He looks like rookie Nuge with his passing this year. I expected him to be better, but I did not expect this playmaking from him again. Big crow eaten here.

Good on you... honorable post.

RNH has been great. I honestly think that the personal pressure was too much for him last year. He doesn't strike me as the type of (me-me-me) guy who likes to think about himself and you sorta get caught doing that when you are in a contract year.

Great to see him performing well as a teammate... that's his game. Unselfish and low-error play.

Now... if we could just get him angry.

 

[Aerrol]

He's been passing better than McDavid - the best player on the planet - so I'd say he's outperforming his contract so far. Always liked Nuge, very happy to see his creativity returning in spades this season. He's a huge part of the team's success so far.

 

[Aceboogie]

33 points in 35 games and absolute crickets on this guy. Most under-appreciated player in the league

Hes been very solid this season and will be a key part of the turn around

The disrespect RNH gets from fans is pretty crazy

 

[GhostfaceWu]

Hyman-RNH-Holloway will be one of the best 3rd lines in the league going forward imo.

 

[SwedishFire]

Hyman-RNH-Holloway will be one of the best 3rd lines in the league going forward imo.

Holloway probably kicks Yamamoto out of top 6 though.
Hyman Nuge Yamamto.

Otherwise the 3rd line will be better than the 1st line.

 

[McGreat One]

33 points in 35 games and absolute crickets on this guy. Most under-appreciated player in the league

Hes been very solid this season and will be a key part of the turn around

The disrespect RNH gets from fans is pretty crazy

Been saying it for years. RNH deserves way more respect on these boards than he's been getting. The so called fans wanting to fire him to the moon last couple of years pretty much lost all credibility because it's obvious they only look at stats and point totals when evaluating a player.

I said it as soon as he got hurt that he'll be greatly missed and people will realize how valuable he is to this team. It's no coincidence that as soon as he got injured that this team hit rock bottom and it's no coincidence that as soon as he returned the team is looking good again.

Not trying to say that he's the only reason for the success and failures of this team but I hope now people start seeing how valuable he is and start giving him the respect he deserves.

 

[SwedishFire]

Been saying it for years. RNH deserves way more respect on these boards than he's been getting. The so called fans wanting to fire him to the moon last couple of years pretty much lost all credibility because it's obvious they only look at stats and point totals when evaluating a player.

I said it as soon as he got hurt that he'll be greatly missed and people will realize how valuable he is to this team. It's no coincidence that as soon as he got injured that this team hit rock bottom and it's no coincidence that as soon as he returned the team is looking good again.

Not trying to say that he's the only reason for the success and failures of this team but I hope now people start seeing how valuable he is and start giving him the respect he deserves.

Nuge is such a rare player. Elite mind, sense, awerness, ok shot, but his goalscoring sudenly took a hard nosedive since last year. In his contract year. Maybe the uncernity was makibg him no good? Im always a Nuge defender, he is above average at everything. Very versitaile. But he isnt that rough and tough player, he doesnt slapshot.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Hyman was brought in to be Connor's winger, but I don't know if Holland could've found a more perfect winger for Nuge. If we can get the top 2 lines clicking and keep Nuge and Hyman together we can have the forward depth needed to make a run. The issue is still going to be defending and goaltending though.

 

[BarDownBobo]

Hyman was brought in to be Connor's winger, but I don't know if Holland could've found a more perfect winger for Nuge. If we can get the top 2 lines clicking and keep Nuge and Hyman together we can have the forward depth needed to make a run. The issue is still going to be defending and goaltending though.

Nuge/McLeod/Hyman could be a phenomenal 3rd line going forward. Just need some of Pulju, Yamo, Holloway, Borgault, Lavoie, Savoie, Petrov etc to develop well enough to fill the top 6 wing spots.

 

[SwedishFire]

Hyman was brought in to be Connor's winger, but I don't know if Holland could've found a more perfect winger for Nuge. If we can get the top 2 lines clicking and keep Nuge and Hyman together we can have the forward depth needed to make a run. The issue is still going to be defending and goaltending though.

Everybody clicks with draisaitl, and just the upper elite echolon clicks with McDavid, every year.

McDavid is best with an elite shooter, like Draisaitl, seems also find something with Kane.
Draisaitl clicked very well with McLeod. Its the youbg RWs Yamamoto and Puljujärvi - again you dont know what to do with. Its worth keeping Yamamoto and see what hPpends. He is a warrior, so I hope he will find his way through.

 

[Mrgnwllm]

Nuge looks huge .

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hyman was brought in to be Connor's winger, but I don't know if Holland could've found a more perfect winger for Nuge. If we can get the top 2 lines clicking and keep Nuge and Hyman together we can have the forward depth needed to make a run. The issue is still going to be defending and goaltending though.

The two of them remind me a fair bit of Calgary’s Backlund/Frolik combo from a few years back. An elite two way duo, that solidifies the middle 6, and can win matchups vs. elite competition.

I don’t think you can understate how much this frees up the McDavid and Draisaitl lines, as they don’t have to be power vs. power lines.

Before I would have groaned at the concept of someone like Perlini in the top 6, but now with a reliable 3rd line in place, I don’t mind the idea as a change of pace option.

 

[VainGretzky]

IMO Nuge does not get the appreciation he deserves, He plays on the 3rd line with no qualms PK warrior, and is proven when he is out of the lineup the PK suffers huge, signs a great extension helping our cap. Yes sometimes he is overpowered or at times looks ineffective but he as a player that puts his heart into this organization. Very happy to see he is off to a nice start to these playoffs.

 

[The Nuge]

IMO Nuge does not get the appreciation he deserves, He plays on the 3rd line with no qualms PK warrior, and is proven when he is out of the lineup the PK suffers huge, signs a great extension helping our cap. Yes sometimes he is overpowered or at times looks ineffective but he as a player puts his heart into this organization. Very happy to see he is off to a nice start to these playoffs.

Dallas Eakins called him one of the best Jack of all trades players in the entire league this year. Yes, Eakins had issues here, but an opposing coach talking about how good a player outside of McDrai is is something to take notice of.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins WILL become our all time franchise leader in games played (let’s hope Connor and Leon are joining him), and, as you said, he signed a well below market value contract. When you combine those with the fact that whether he gets asked to play 1st line wing or 3C, PP or PK, he just goes out there and battles, he deserves to never again be criticized by Oiler fans.

 

[iliketorock]

People shit on him because they just remember he was taken 1st overall. It blinds them to the incredibly effective NHL player he has become. Skate tounges out Nuge was my favorite player, crafty, deceptive and shifty. 2021/2022 version of Nuge is a player every team in the league wishes they had the luxury of having on their 3rd line. Dude just does his job night in night out and doesn't seem like the kind of person to complain about anything. As he ages the bad games get very few and far between, hes also a player I can see aging very well. His brain does all the work.

 

[AM]

He did a lot to help this team win now when he negotiated his current contract. Any nhl players who are actually looking to win should pay attention.