Edmonton Oilers head coach Todd McLellan believes there is room for improvement, especially among certain forwards.
This Wednesday, on “Oilers Now,” head coach Todd McLellan told Bob Stauffer that he believes there is more potential in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ game. Here’s what he had to say:
"“I think that, and I told Nuge this at the end of the year, there’s more to his game, especially offensively. He’s become such a responsible player, that at times he doesn’t take the risk necessary to score. It’s OK to be a risky player sometimes. You have teammates that have to cover for you. You can’t always be the safe guy, but he’s convinced he’s going to be a well-rounded player. I respect him for that. He puts every ounce of effort into doing it both ways. I think we can see his defensive skills have really increased and he’s played against some tough opponents.” – Todd McLellan, Oilers Now"
Edmonton Oilers
This statement rings true. Nugent-Hopkins was a huge asset when it came to defensive play. He had 48 takeaways for just 30 giveaways, and could also serve as an asset on the penalty kill. The 24-year-old centre takes great care of the puck and has worked on improving defensively to complete his all-around game at both ends of the rink. However, this has, in fact, led him to ignore his offensive obligations.
What’s wrong with Nugent-Hopkins?
He has lacked his true potential on the forecheck. When entering the offensive zone, Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t have the speed, zest or edge that he used to have. Instead, he plays it safe and works on avoiding mistakes.
This season, Nugent-Hopkins finished with 18 goals and 43 points in 82 games. This was the first full-season of his career, and taking that and his career numbers into account, he had a lacklustre season. Not to mention, with just .52 points per game, the worst PPG in his career, Nugent-Hopkins lacked the same threat he had in previous years. He also finished with just four assists in 13 postseason games.
In the NHL, there’s no way to stop making mistakes, and perfection is unattainable. There is also no telling how certain plays will turn out, and playing on the safe side only makes it harder to score. While Nugent-Hopkins is playing smart hockey, he is not helping his team in the way he’s equipped to help.
As a $6 million player who is putting up lower scoring totals, Nugent-Hopkins must make a statement. If he continues to play below his ability, he will be demoted, and Edmonton will not pay a bottom-six forward $6 million a season. Therefore, in his case, he can either step up or inevitably see a change in scenery.