Edmonton Oilers place Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on injured reserve amid injury list

The Edmonton Oilers have been dealt another significant blow to their injury-plagued lineup, as the team announced Monday that veteran forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that the 32-year-old center is expected to miss approximately one week, though the exact nature and severity of the injury remain unclear. The move comes at an inopportune time for Edmonton, which is struggling through a 6-6-4 start to the season and recently suffered a devastating 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

Nugent-Hopkins, who has been one of the few bright spots in Edmonton’s inconsistent early-season performance, sustained the injury during Saturday’s blowout defeat against Colorado. He logged just 14:50 of ice time in that game—a season low—and finished with a minus-four rating while being held off the scoresheet. The timing couldn’t be worse for the Oilers, who are already navigating significant roster challenges with multiple key players sidelined.

Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins placed on injured reserve amid roster shuffle

The transaction involving Nugent-Hopkins was part of a larger roster move by the Oilers on Monday. In corresponding moves, Edmonton activated forward Mattias Janmark from injured reserve and shifted winger Kasperi Kapanen from standard to long-term injured reserve. The LTIR move for Kapanen increased the Oilers’ LTIR pool by $1.3 million, putting them within reach of salary cap compliance when they activate Zach Hyman from LTIR in the coming days.

Nugent-Hopkins has been Edmonton’s third-leading scorer through 16 games, recording five goals and 11 assists for 16 points—maintaining an impressive point-per-game pace. His production has been crucial for a team struggling to generate consistent offense beyond their top stars. The veteran forward has averaged 18:49 of ice time per game and has been relied upon heavily in all situations, including power play and penalty kill duties.

Despite his strong offensive output, there have been some concerning underlying metrics. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ performance this season has shown a minus-11 rating and declining possession numbers, though his point production has helped mask those deficiencies. Some observers have speculated that he may have been playing through discomfort for the past two weeks, which could explain the recent downturn in his two-way play after a strong start to the campaign.

The absence of Nugent-Hopkins will be felt across multiple facets of the Oilers’ game. He has been a critical component of Edmonton’s power play, which has been one of the few consistently effective units for the team this season. He also plays a significant role on the penalty kill, where his experience and hockey IQ have proven valuable. Finding adequate replacements for his contributions in all three situations will be a major challenge for Knoblauch and his coaching staff.

Mattias Janmark returns as Edmonton Oilers manage injury crisis

With Nugent-Hopkins sidelined, the Oilers will turn to 33-year-old Mattias Janmark to help fill the void. Janmark, who is entering his fourth season in Edmonton after signing as a free agent in 2022, has been a reliable defensive presence throughout his tenure with the organization. The 2013 third-round pick has carved out a niche as a penalty-killing specialist, forming the nucleus of Edmonton’s shorthanded unit alongside Nugent-Hopkins last season.

However, Janmark’s offensive production has been a concern in recent years. He managed just two goals in 80 games last season, raising questions about his ability to contribute in anything beyond a bottom-six defensive role. Despite his offensive struggles, the Oilers’ penalty kill has performed well without him this season, operating at an 81.8% success rate that ranks 12th in the league. His return should only strengthen that unit, though it may not address Edmonton’s pressing need for depth scoring.

The Oilers have been desperately seeking consistent production from their depth forwards, and players like Trent Frederic, Isaac Howard, Matthew Savoie, and David Tomasek have combined for just nine points despite expectations that they would help replace the talent lost to last offseason’s salary cap crunch. Janmark’s offensive limitations make it unlikely he’ll solve that problem, but the injuries to Nugent-Hopkins, Kapanen, and Hyman will almost certainly give him an opportunity to capture consistent minutes and prove he can provide more than just defensive stability.

During his first season with Edmonton in 2022-23, Janmark was a defensive beast on the wing, earning comparisons to some of the team’s best defensive forwards in recent memory. He carried that form into the 2024 playoffs, where he was one of Edmonton’s most effective players and earned his current three-year contract. However, he was a marginal contributor during last year’s playoff run, and rumors circulated throughout the summer that the organization was exploring trade options. Now healthy and back in the lineup, Janmark will have a chance to recapture that earlier form and prove his value to the organization.

Power play adjustments for the Edmonton Oilers without Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

One of the most significant questions facing the Oilers in Nugent-Hopkins’ absence is how they will configure their power play. The veteran has been a fixture on Edmonton’s man-advantage unit, typically operating from the left-half wall or net-front area depending on the setup. His hockey IQ, playmaking ability, and chemistry with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl make him difficult to replace in that role.

Several options exist for filling the void. The most straightforward replacement would be Jack Roslovic, who has experience in power-play situations and possesses the offensive skill to contribute in that capacity. Another possibility is Adam Henrique, who has been one of Edmonton’s best performers this season and could provide a net-front presence similar to what Nugent-Hopkins offers. The 35-year-old known as “Rico” is enjoying a renaissance campaign after an inconsistent start, crushing it in his two-way play over the past three weeks.

A more creative solution could involve deploying two defensemen on the power play simultaneously. With Philip Walman and Evan Bouchard both possessing cannon-blast shots from the point, the Oilers could experiment with a setup featuring both blue-liners. Bouchard could potentially slide down to the left-half wall, where he could unleash devastating one-timers on net. The prospect of facing bombs from Bouchard on the left, Draisaitl on the right, and Walman at the point presents an intriguing tactical possibility, though it would represent a significant departure from Edmonton’s traditional power-play structure.

The bigger picture for the Edmonton Oilers’ injury situation

The Nugent-Hopkins injury is just the latest setback in what has been a challenging start to the season for Edmonton. Beyond the immediate roster implications, the timing raises concerns about the team’s overall health and the physical toll of their deep playoff run last season. The Oilers have been managing multiple injured players, including Kapanen, who recorded two assists through his first six games before sustaining his own undisclosed injury in mid-October that has him listed as week-to-week.

According to Pro Hockey Rumors, the return of Hyman from LTIR should provide a significant boost when he’s cleared to play in the coming days. The veteran winger’s absence has been felt throughout the lineup, particularly in terms of net-front presence and finishing ability. His return, combined with what the team hopes will be a short absence for Nugent-Hopkins, could help stabilize a roster that has struggled to find consistency.

There is also some skepticism about the reported timeline for Nugent-Hopkins’ return. NHL teams are notoriously cautious about revealing specific injury details, and one-week projections have historically been unreliable. As Edmonton Journal noted, reports of players being out for a week can sometimes extend to a month or more, as was the case with Viktor Arvidsson last season. While teams have valid reasons for being vague about injury timelines—namely avoiding giving opponents tactical advantages—it does create uncertainty for fans and fantasy managers alike.

The Oilers will need contributions from throughout their lineup to weather this latest adversity. Role players will need to step up, and the coaching staff will need to maximize the effectiveness of the available personnel. With Nugent-Hopkins sidelined and depth scoring already a concern, every game will be crucial as Edmonton tries to climb back into playoff positioning in a competitive Western Conference. The upcoming matchups will reveal whether this team has the depth and resilience to overcome yet another obstacle in what has already been a challenging campaign.