Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played through broken hand in Stanley Cup Final

Along with much of Edmonton’s roster, Nugent-Hopkins was significantly more productive in the preceding three playoff rounds against Western Conference teams. He racked up 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 16 games against the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars in the Oilers’ first three series.

It’s not at all unusual for players to persevere through injuries in the postseason, especially as the games become more consequential. Panthers forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk also dealt with severe injuries of their own in the Final.

The Oilers originally selected Nugent-Hopkins with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. The Burnaby, BC product has played exclusively for the Oilers ever since, picking up 271 goals and 748 points in 959 games over 14 NHL seasons.

Drafted as a center, Nugent-Hopkins has spent most of his time on the wing as the Oilers have developed into a Stanley Cup contender in recent seasons. He scored a career-high 104 points in the 2022-23 season but regressed to 67 in 2023-24 and just 49 this past campaign.

Despite that, Nugent-Hopkins’ playoff production has remained strong. Through 96 career playoff contests, the 6’1″ forward has amassed 23 goals and 81 points. Of the Oilers’ four No. 1 picks between 2010 and 2015, Nugent-Hopkins is the clear second-best behind McDavid.

With the 2024-25 season now in the books, Nugent-Hopkins is slated to enter the back half of the eight-year, $5.125 million AAV contract extension he signed with the Oilers in 2021.