NHL Status Report: Nugent-Hopkins to miss Oilers opener

Sep 29, 2026, 2:05 PM ET|Comments (0)

from NHL.com,

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will not play for the Oilers in their season-opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SN). The forward was injured at the end of prytice Monday with a lower-body injury. He had 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games last season. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl , who were expected to be on the same line, will be split up with Nugent-Hopkins out. "Obviously there is going to be guys asked to do different things and put in different spots," McDavid said. "That's the nature of this business; it's a long season. It's Day 1, but these things happen throughout the course of the season, and we have to adjust as we go." ... Oilers coach Mike Babcock said he doesn't expect goalie Frederik Andersen back until "maybe" December. The goalie has been …

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