What Happened
Edmonton moved veteran centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to injured reserve Monday after he sat out the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers announced an emergency recall of forward Josh Samanski from AHL Bakersfield to fill the roster spot. Nugent-Hopkins had initially been listed as day-to-day. Edmonton also placed forward Matt Savoie and defenceman Alex Regula on long-term injured reserve to open the season.
Key Details
- Nugent-Hopkins was initially listed as day-to-day before the IR placement
- The 33-year-old is entering his 16th season with Edmonton, which drafted him first overall in 2011
- He posted 20 goals and 36 assists in 72 games last season
- He has 804 points (291 goals, 513 assists) in 1,031 regular-season games with the Oilers
- Samanski, 24, had two goals and four points in 24 games with Edmonton last season
- Matt Savoie and Alex Regula were placed on long-term injured reserve
What It Means
Nugent-Hopkins is expected to centre Edmonton's second line this season, so his absence could push new coach Mike Babcock to use Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at centre on separate lines. Samanski, who saw 24 games with the Oilers last season, provides a short-term option while the team manages multiple injury absences.
What's Next
Edmonton faces the Canucks again in a rematch, with line combinations at centre potentially affected by Nugent-Hopkins' absence. No timeline has been given for his return beyond the initial day-to-day listing.