The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the most dominant teams, reaching the finals twice in back-to-back seasons. Led by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, the Oilers dominated their playoffs.
But while McDavid and Draisaitl were impressive in the playoffs with 33 points each, center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was underwhelming for many fans. And recently, one analyst even questioned if he belonged on the same lineup as the other Oilers.
Analyst Questions Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ Inclusion on the Oilers Line-Up
While the Oilers’ front line was all guns blazing this past season, Nugent-Hopkins was one of the weaker links on the team. With just 20 goals in the regular season and a four-game goalless run, three of which were in the Stanley Cup Finals, many questioned his productivity.
And while it has since been revealed that he was playing with a broken hand, the fans’ and critics’ consensus remains the same: that Nugent-Hopkins was below par. And joining this take is NHL analyst Jason Gregor for the Oilsnation.
On the latest episode of the “Jason Gregor Show,” host Gregor mentions, “Did you know that last season Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored three goals with McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice 5-on-5?” Gregor also brings up the point of whether Nugent-Hopkins would flourish more on the third line.
He mentions, “Nugent-Hopkins has scored twice as many goals away from Draisaitl and McDavid. So would you consider him a third-line center? I strongly would. I really would. I’ve seen enough to know what Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can do on my top line.”
“Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored 3 goals with McDavid or Draisaitl on the ice at 5v5, maybe now’s the time to give someone else a look”. – @JasonGregor on if it’s time for Nuge to be the oilers 3C
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— Sports 1440 (@Sports1440) August 15, 2025
He believes that while McDavid (100) and Draisaitl (106) are both great on the front with their explosiveness, Nugent-Hopkins would do better being on the third line. He continues with, “He’s reliable. Yes. I get all that.” But he also raises some questions.
He brings his productivity and ability to score during crunch situations. Nugent-Hopkins has already been under scrutiny for his performances in the Finals. Gregor mentions, “But he doesn’t produce a lot of goals for you. Maybe now’s the time to give someone else a look.”
He brings up the point that despite having two of the best players in the league, with McDavid being one of the best playmakers, Nugent-Hopkins could only manage three goals in 478 minutes. Gregor says he can always return to Nugent-Hokins, but he isn’t sure about it.
He continues, “And then he scored six goals in the other 534 minutes away from them; you could make an argument. Maybe it’s better on your third line.” According to Gregor, Nugent-Hopkins will likely be closer to the third line this upcoming season.
Gregor mentions, “Now, he’s going to play in the power play. He’s going to play a ton in the penalty kill, so his minutes will still be fine, but I’m just talking five on five.” As per Gregor, while Nugent-Hopkins is good, his play style isn’t made for the first or second line.
