Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Reaches Historic 1,000-Game Milestone for Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will create a special piece of hockey history this Sunday. He plays his 1,000th NHL game against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Place. This achievement marks a first for the Edmonton Oilers franchise. No legendary players like Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, or Grant Fuhr ever accomplished this feat while wearing only the Oilers uniform from start to finish.
Surviving the Decade of Darkness
The milestone carries profound significance given the challenging era Nugent-Hopkins endured in Edmonton. Selected first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, he arrived during what fans and analysts now call the Decade of Darkness. High draft picks came with immense pressure. Many departed quickly when immediate results failed to materialize.
Taylor Hall got traded to the New Jersey Devils. Jordan Eberle moved to the New York Islanders. Justin Schultz left as a free agent. Nail Yakupov struggled and was eventually dealt away. New faces appeared every season, only to be shipped out soon after. The constant roster turnover defined those difficult years.
Moments of Doubt and Resilience
Nugent-Hopkins openly admitted there were times he thought his turn to leave would come. "There were definitely moments where I thought I'd be getting the call," the 32-year-old forward said this week. "I was really good friends with Justin Schultz, and things went from really good to pretty sour pretty quickly for him here. Then Jordan, and Taylor, and a lot of other guys left too."
He paused before adding the obvious thought that crossed his mind during those turbulent years. "Yeah, there were moments when I thought I could be next on the block," Nugent-Hopkins confessed. "I'm sure there were offers."
The Teammate Who Stood Firm
Former teammate Sam Gagner believes Nugent-Hopkins's personality played a crucial role in keeping him in Edmonton when others were moved. "He's such a good teammate, such a low-maintenance guy," Gagner explained. "Maybe when you're looking for problems or looking for change, he's the last place you look?"
Current teammate Curtis Lazar highlighted what makes Nugent-Hopkins so valuable on the ice. "When he gets the puck, everyone on the bench just exhales," Lazar said. "We know he'll do the right thing with it."
Darnell Nurse echoed that sentiment when describing his longtime teammate's impact. "He's an exhale," Nurse stated simply. "I mean, you couldn't put it better."
A Draft Class Standout
Nugent-Hopkins was drafted ahead of notable players like Gabriel Landeskog, Jonathan Huberdeau, Mark Scheifele, and Nikita Kucherov in 2011. He currently ranks as the fourth-highest scorer from that draft class. More impressively, he will be the first player from that group to reach the 1,000-game milestone.
His career statistics remain strong with 785 points to his name. Nugent-Hopkins remains under contract for three more seasons at a $5.125 million cap hit. When his playing days eventually conclude, he will lead the franchise in games played wearing the iconic blue and orange colors.
This legacy feels especially fitting for a player who survived Edmonton's darkest years to now bask in its brightest moments. His journey from a top draft pick during a struggling era to a franchise icon demonstrates remarkable perseverance and loyalty.
