Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the Edmonton Oilers’ season opener on Tuesday due to a lower-body injury.
The Story
The Edmonton Oilers announced Tuesday that veteran centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the team’s season opener with a lower-body injury.
The Oilers were set to begin their season against the visiting Vancouver Canucks later Tuesday.
Nugent-Hopkins is entering his 16th season with Edmonton after being selected first overall by the Oilers at the 2011 NHL draft.
The forward from Burnaby, B.C., recorded 20 goals last season, reaching that total for the seventh time in his career, and added 36 assists over 72 games.
Across 1,031 regular-season games with Edmonton, Nugent-Hopkins has 804 points, including 291 goals and 513 assists.
The team expected him to centre Edmonton’s second line this season, and his absence could lead to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl playing centre on separate lines against Vancouver.
When asked how long Nugent-Hopkins would be out, Oilers head coach Mike Babcock said: “Any time they tell me day to day that usually means two weeks.”
Babcock also confirmed that Tristan Jarry will start in goal for Edmonton.
Frederik Andersen, recently acquired by the Oilers, was ruled out until December with a knee injury.
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