Nugent-Hopkins, Oilers agree on eight-year, $41M deal

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) skates during the warm-up against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oilers agree on eight-year, $41 million deal

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jun 29, 2021 1:54 PM ET

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins won't be hitting unrestricted free agency, after all.

Ryan Rishaug of TSN reported Tuesday that Nugent-Hopkins will remain with Edmonton on an eight-year contract worth $41 million. The deal includes a no-movement clause and, per Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, a $5.125 million salary-cap hit. Previously, the 28-year-old was on an agreement worth $6 million annually across seven years.

The Oilers confirmed the news later in the day.

There most likely would have been a higher dollar figure on the open market, but remaining an Oilers was an absolute priority for RNH who can now complete 18 years with the club by the end of this deal.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) June 29, 2021

The Oilers selected Nugent-Hopkins first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, and he hasn't played for any other franchise since. He recorded 16 goals and 19 assists across 52 regular-season contests in 2020-21 but tallied only one goal and one assist through a disappointing postseason run for the Oilers.

The Winnipeg Jets swept the Oilers in the opening round of the playoffs.

Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Allan Mitchell explained for The Athletic that Nugent-Hopkins likely "wants to win in Edmonton, to finish what he started a decade ago under the most challenging of circumstances" when the Oilers were in the middle of what became a lengthy playoff drought.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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