Nugent-Hopkins set to break 28-year-old Edmonton Oilers franchise record
A long-standing Edmonton Oilers franchise record is set to be broken early next season.
Over the past couple of seasons, the Oilers have seen more than a few records be broken by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Both players reached the 1,000-point plateau in each of the past two seasons, and they’ve set some incredible marks in the playoffs as well.
The next franchise record likely to fall, however, won’t feature either McDavid or Draisaitl doing so. Instead, it will be longtime Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is just seven games away from surpassing Hall of Famer Kevin Lowe for the most games played with Edmonton.
Nugent-Hopkins is currently sitting second all-time at 1,031 games played in an Oilers jersey, narrowly behind Lowe’s total of 1,037.
NHL.com
Lowe’s last regular-season game with the Oilers was in April 1998, meaning his record has stood for over 28 years.
If Nugent-Hopkins can stay healthy, the 33-year-old will tie Lowe’s record on Oct. 10 on the road against the San Jose Sharks. The record-breaking game will come three days later on the road once again on Oct. 13 against the LA Kings.
Given that the record will be broken on an early-season road trip, Oilers fans won’t have the chance to congratulate Nugent-Hopkins until Oct. 15, as Edmonton will host the Utah Mammoth in what should be his 1,039th game with the franchise.
Drafted first overall back in 2011, Nugent-Hopkins is the sole survivor of Edmonton’s three straight first-overall picks from 2010 to 2012. He has spent just about his entire career playing inside the Oilers’ top six and has shifted from being a centreman to a consistent top-line winger next to McDavid.
His 291 goals rank eighth in Oilers history, while his 513 assists land him sixth on the franchise list. In terms of overall points, Nugent-Hopkins sits seventh at 804, meaning he will have an outside chance of hitting that 1,000-point plateau if he can string together a few more productive seasons.