The Edmonton Oilers won their second straight game on Monday Night, defeating the Florida Panthers by a score of 4-2. However they may have suffered a big loss as well, as centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins left the game after blocking a shot of the stick of Panthers defenceman Dmitri Kulikov.
Nugent-Hopkins took the shot off his hand while killing an Oilers penalty and was immediately in pain. He left the ice 2:47 into the second period with Edmonton leading 2-0. Nugent-Hopkins had assisted on Taylor Hall’s goal earlier in the game.
After the game Oilers head coach Todd McLellan announced that the injury is significant and that Nugent-Hopkins will be out indefinetely.
Long-term injury for RNH (hand), Coach McLellan announces.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 19, 2016
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Out Indefinitely With Hand Injury
The 22-year-old centre has eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 46 games this season.
Nugent-Hopkins was selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Nugent-Hopkins has spent his entire five year career with the Oilers. He has scored 73 goals, and 145 assists for 218 points in 304 career games. Nugent-Hopkins has faced other injury issues previously, mostly dealing with his shoulder.
This is the latest in a long line of injuries to Oilers forwards with Connor McDavid, Jordan Eberle, and Nail Yakupov all spending time on injured reserve this season. As of Saturday, the Oilers led the NHL in man-games lost to injury, according to ManGamesLost.com.
The Oilers hope that Connor McDavid will soon be able to return to the lineup. He would seem to fill the role at centre that Nugent-Hopkins has been playing for Edmonton.
Main Photo Credit:
Main Photo Caption: DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 19: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93 of the Edmonton Oilers controls the puck against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center on December 19, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Oilers 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
