When Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first arrived with the Edmonton Oilers he was a revelation on the Power Play whose vision reminded everyone of he who shall not be named. That first year in the league he put up 52 points in 62 games before a shoulder injury cost him the final 20 games of the season.
The biggest fear was that the slight Nugent-Hopkins wasnt physically ready for the NHL and from the outside looking in the shoulder injury was proof that those fears were not unfounded. It's easy to forget that it happened because of a freak accident when RNH tripped into the boards and not because of punishment delivered by some hulking Defenseman. That wonky shoulder was left to heal over Nuge's first summer as a pro, but it prevented him from doing the kind of training he needed to add the strength the club wanted him to develop.
The lockout prevented his 2nd season from picking up where he left off but he was able to join the OKC Barons. Unfortunately very early into the AHL season he hurt the shoulder again and was faced with the option of playing through it or getting surgery. He opted to play through it and played for Canada at the World Junior Championships, leading the tournament in scoring on one arm.
The shoulder was so injured that when the tournament ended he couldnt rejoin the Barons in Oklahoma. So he waited for the NHL and the NHLPA to come to a resolution. When the Oilers' season began he joined the team to mixed results. 24 points in 40 games was disappointing but he stayed in the lineup until the Oilers were out of the playoff hunt. At that time he went for surgery.
So he lost his 2nd summer of training in a row to a shoulder that was supposed to keep him out of the NHL for the first month of play. Call it a miracle or call it being to young to know better, but he missed only 2 games and joined the Oilers for his 3rd campaign almost a month ahead of schedule. It's hard to argue, however that he looked comfortable in the early goings of the season, and I say that despite him putting up some decent numbers (21 points in 25 games between October and November).
Ultimately his 56 points in 80 games was disappointing not because he's a 1st Overall pick, but because Oiler fans have seen what he was capable of when he was healthy. Now the Nuge has just turned 21 years old and will be able to train full out for the first time as a professional and the Oilers need him to take his game to the next level.
Taylor Hall is proving to be playmaker and an offensive dynamo, but the team needs to get production down the middle. This past season everything seemed to cave in where the Centers were concerned. RNH's disappointing season aside, Gagner's face was literally caved in by Kassian, Gordon was fed to the wolves with Defensive Zone starts, and the 4th line was anchored by the now retired Smyth. If 93 doesnt get back to where we THINK he can be then the club is in a lot of trouble.
I've seen what he can do with one arm. I'm still confident the best has yet to come.
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