EDMONTON: The Edmonton Oilers will open the 2026-27 season without centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is sidelined by a lower-body injury for Tuesday night’s home game against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Mike Babcock confirmed hours before puck drop.
Nugent-Hopkins was hurt during Monday’s practice and could miss up to two weeks, according to the Oilers’ website. Babcock said a “day-to-day” label from the medical staff usually means about two weeks in his experience, The Canadian Press and the team’s website reported. TSN reported the club has not set a timeline for his season debut but expects the absence to be short-term.
Babcock framed the injury as a chance for others. “Injuries are just an excuse, and you find ways to learn about your team,” he said, per the Oilers’ website. Captain Connor McDavid was more blunt: “It sucks,” he said, adding that a team wants as many players healthy as possible to start a season.
The 33-year-old, taken first overall in 2011, is entering his 16th season with Edmonton and was expected to centre the second line. He had 20 goals and 56 points in 72 regular-season games last season, plus two goals and five points in six playoff games, TSN reported. The Canadian Press puts his career totals at 804 points (291 goals, 513 assists) in 1,031 regular-season games.
His absence reshapes the lineup. TSN and the team’s website both reported that Babcock may split McDavid and Leon Draisaitl onto separate lines, after the pair skated together throughout training camp. Vasily Podkolzin will take Nugent-Hopkins’ spot on the top power-play unit, the Oilers’ website reported. Rookie Owen Michaels, a college free agent from Western Michigan, will make his NHL debut, according to the team’s game preview, and Oilers Nation reported he is expected to play centre in the bottom six.
Tristan Jarry will start in goal, the Oilers confirmed. He stopped 40 of 42 shots across two preseason games, per the team’s preview, with Devon Levi as the backup.
Nugent-Hopkins joins a lengthy injury list. Goaltender Frederik Andersen and forward Mattias Janmark could be out until December, forward Matt Savoie was given an eight-week timeline in late August, and centre Jason Dickinson remains “a bit away” from returning, according to the Oilers’ website. Vancouver will be without goaltender Thatcher Demko (hip) and centre Filip Chytil (shoulder), The Associated Press reported.
Edmonton went 4-0-0 in the preseason, outscoring opponents 14-5. The Oilers finished 41-30-11 last season, while the Canucks went 25-49-8, according to AP. Puck drop at Rogers Place is 8 p.m. MT on Sportsnet, with the rematch Thursday in Vancouver.
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Via NHL.com/Oilers, TSN, The Canadian Press and The Associated Press.
Photo: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins during an Oilers game against the Washington Capitals, Feb. 2, 2022. Credit: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Not from this season.
