OverDrive - Nugent-Hopkins on the 1,000 game milestone, the tenure in Edmonton and the season with the Oilers

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

Edmonton Oilers Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins joined OverDrive to discuss his season with the Oilers, playing in 1000 games in Edmonton, the experience with Connor McDavid, the skills of playing different positions, representing the roster and more.

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Thank you for doing this. Are you aware of the fact that the reason you're in Edmonton is because Struddy was on the team the year before you got drafted? Yeah, very aware. Yeah, he played a solid part in that for sure. there you go you're welcome you got your thank you you got your thank you

finally acknowledge which I appreciate it you're the guy strutty I know 10 15 years 15 years he sees you down the hallway and grab someone

and says see that guy right there he's the reason I got drafted here yeah the connection a couple bad games for sure 15 years man a thousand games like obviously now it's

I'm sure it's sunk in because you've experienced it you've hit the 1,000 game mark they did a great job of obviously saluting you and I thought the pregame ceremony was outstanding but what does it mean to you to play

1,000 games and more importantly or more over 1,000 games for the same team, the Edmonton Oilers? Yeah, it was it definitely, I didn't know what to expect actually going in to the whole ceremony and the whole day but I mean the guys definitely

went over the top and beyond and made it a very special day and kind of just listening to them and it definitely helped sink in as much as I think it could but it was a great day and obviously it always helps when you have a day like that

and the guys play so well and obviously Ingram was outstanding and got the shout out so it was a really fun day and we had a lot of family and friends come in for it too so it was yeah a day I would Well, I won't forget, for sure. Ryan, a lot of guys seem to talk about it these days,

more so when the three of us played hockey, but like playing for the same organization for the whole career, like playing the thousand games all for the Oilers, like is that something that was important to you or something that you dreamt of and wanted to happen when you joined the Oilers? Yeah, definitely. When I got drafted here, I would talk to my agent and my family about that, that it was kind of the dream to,

first of all, play my whole career in Emerton. And obviously the big one is win in Emmettin. And then you play your first five-ish years and you start to see you guys going in and out of the lineup

and in and off the team and start to think, well, maybe that's not going to be a possibility. But I was very fortunate to have stuck around through some tough for years and definitely now. We're on the other side of it.

So it's a lot more fun to be on this side than it was for the first few years, as obviously Straty can attest you there. Nude, you know, you played with a lot of different players over that time, a lot of coaches. What was the most random communication text or call you got from someone? You're like, wow, I can't believe this guy, you know, sent me this note. There was some old teammates that I haven't talked to in a long time that to be honest, I didn't have their number.

So I'm sure they've got different numbers since then, but there was a lot of messages coming in, and I definitely felt the love on that day for sure. Is it like a new phone who it is? How do you respond when you don't know who's writing you? I drop my phone to tour that. That's the trick I use. Yeah, no, it's more so just a thank you

and I appreciate the message. Yeah, I think that's the play. with Ryan Nugent Hopkins. And yeah, I mean, that run of first overall picks, Taylor Hall in 2010, yourself in 2011, Nail Yakupov in 2012. Like, what was that experience like? Because it wasn't like the Oilers were dead last in the league every single year. They won lotteries, you know, in a couple of those to, you know,

get the first overall pick. When you consider Taylor Hall was there the year before you, did that help you at all that he had kind of just been through? through the ring or he'd just been through that experience as a first overall pick. How did that maybe affect your first year as a rookie in Edmonton? Yeah, it for sure helped. He had, like you said, he had literally just gone through the same experience as me. So not just that, but also a young guy kind of getting his feet just into the league as well.

And Ebs obviously the same thing. so Ebs wasn't as high as a pick but he was still just getting his kind of dipping his toes into the water and so we had a great group of young guys and then obviously nailed the year after and it helped the transition a lot easier because coming from junior obviously there's a lot of guys that are way older than you but also to have some guys that are similar age and kind of have the same mindset and I think the same as you was really important I felt at that stage for me Nuge, your teammates seem to love bringing up that they believe in their heart of hearts that you're the coach's favorite player. Like, do you have a full understanding of that?

And are you aware, like, do you aware you are the coach's favorite player, or is that just something that they like to joke about? I think it's mostly just joking around. But I think they kind of say that because they kind of put it. me in different situations on the PK on the power play five on five and stuff like that but I would say Connor's got to be the any coach's favorite player so

let's be honest there yeah that that might be the right choice and another first overall thing we're chatting with Ryan Nugent Hopkins and you played on a line with him you played on the power play with him like what's that mentality like when you see McDavid start to pick up steam

and maybe it's back behind his own net or you know but you know down below the circles what is running through your mind when you're like this guy is going to take off and I have to keep up like do you think of it that way that I have to keep up or what what are you thinking when he's doing that and you're out there on the ice with him?

Yeah definitely you got as soon as you see him getting his feet moving and those crossovers I kind of put my head down and I'm like all right let's let's get going here I'm not going to catch him but a lot of the time he's going to pull up and be able to make a play and so you're trying to find that timing. Sometimes it's harder in practice when all of a sudden he just gets cooking and you're doing a drill and you've got to find a way to find him.

But in a game when he gets going like that, yeah, you've got to get on your horse. And at this point, I kind of can see it when he is going to start get moving, which is quite often. But I've learned to kind of read off him that way. What would you say? Like, people often describe playing with Sid. Like, it's actually difficult because there's an immense amount of skill, there's a demand from the player, and it's just one of those difficult things.

But it seems like there's so much hockey smarts and great playmaking, it can't be that challenging, can it? Like, once you know how fast you've got to be going and just the hockey sense is off the charts, it's got to be a ton of fun as well. Yeah, it's always a ton of fun. I do think every year there's a bit of an adjustment, obviously that it helps in preseason, but just getting used to his speed again because he's going to be on the fly and moving so much that you've got to find that timing, right? It's not the same as any of the rest of us where you're used to that timing and we're all kind of similar,

but he's kind of on a different level in that sense. So once you get used to it, like you said, he reads off you so well, that he understands when you're going to be able to move on the puck. And you just have to be prepared more than anything and on your toes for sure. You know, Newt, your teammates are so complimentary and so different ways about you. But the one thing I always hear from Leon and Connors, how you're kind of out on a really successful power play. So, you know, how do you prepare for that,

whether it's on the entry or just when the guys are in trouble? It seems like you're the guy they pass to, then you kind of reset the clock for everyone and go. Well, I mean, I definitely try to help on the entry. I'm trying to distribute a lot. Obviously, with those two guys, you're trying to give them as much time and space as possible. They're going to create a lot on their own, but I do my best to kind of wait for the right opportunity to give them the puck, and then obviously let them make their plays and get open when I need to.

but yeah, it's more of a support and beware I know they're going to be maybe in trouble here or there so try to find the right opportunities to strike but also just kind of be around the puck and supporting them. With Ryan Nugent Hopkins, you know, Florida the last this year is kind of struggle. They've run into some injuries. They're on the outside of the playoffs looking in

and there's kind of a sense like, man, they've played so much hockey, it's an Olympic year. how are they going to get this together? And conversely, you guys have been in the played the same amount of games the last two years. You guys have been in the cup final twice. You have a condensed schedule. You have more traveling because you're in the West.

How have you guys handled that? How are the players in particular dealing with seemingly playing every other night? It definitely takes its toll physically. But at the same time, I think maybe going as long as we did the last couple of years helps in that sense. just you're used to play in so much hockey and so much hockey in a short span of time, really. And we had a really tough first couple months just being on the road all the time. We hit every Eastern team before Christmas.

So in a lot of ways, like that's tough. And we played some good teams. So our record probably wasn't as good as we had hoped it to be. But at the same time, it helped us bond as a team. And when you spend that much time on the, road, you're going to get to know the new guys and you're going to have lots of time to spend together and whether it's on the bus, on the plane, going to dinners and stuff. So I do think that having that much time on the road to start a season is actually probably

a good thing, if anything, and then you reap the rewards later in the season, of course. So it's obviously a lot of management and taking care of your body and making sure that you get the rest when you need to, but I think maybe playing so much hockey over the past couple years kind of has us in that mindset that we're just going to keep going. Absolutely. With Ryan

Newgen-Hopkins, so on an individual level, I know you're going to say win the Stanley Cup, that's the next goal. That's the next achievement for you. But you've played 1,000 games. Do you have a next individual goal that you're chasing 1,000 points, you know, a few hundred goals?

What is it next on the checklist for you? Um, that's a good question, you know, the 1,000 games has kind of been, uh, uh, coming up. And, and to be honest, in some ways, it was such a great experience, but in some ways it's a bit of a relief to, to kind of be through it and, um, and move on. But, um, I don't know, you know, I feel good. I feel like I have a lot of hockey left in me. so I don't know how many games I can get to, but I think next season I can pass Kevin as I think he's like 1,037, so I'm sure that will be something that people will talk to me about and will be another milestone to hit.

But like you said, obviously the end goal is going to be winning the cup. Absolutely. And I think you're referencing Kevin Lowe, right? games. Would that be most games all time for the Oilers? And there you go right around the corner. Very cool stuff. Well, congrats on a thousand games. You know, it's an amazing accomplishment. First overall picks, Dylan Evanston. You guys are rocking. Great seeing you. Really appreciate you doing this.

And we'll do it again down the road. Awesome. Thanks for having me, guys. You got it. There he is, Ryan Nugent Hopkins. Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I-Heart Radio. himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams

Radio. Now available on the free IHeart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams radio on IHeart Radio. Who's ready to rock? Oh, go! Kids want to rock.