Edmonton Oilers centerman Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to stick in the lineup for Game 6 despite missing Monday’s practice, head coach Kris Knoblauch told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic. His off-day will instead be chalked up to rest, after Nugent-Hopkins appeared in 20 minutes of action in Game 5.
Nugent-Hopkins appeared in 24 minutes of ice time and scored two points in Edmonton’s 5-4 win over Florida in Game 4. He ranks third on the Oilers’ offense in ice time (19:44) and postseason scoring (20 points in 21 games) behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It’s the expected pecking order, but Nugent-Hopkins’ role has still been a crucial part of Edmonton’s postseason success. They’ll rest assured knowing he’s expected to appear in a must-win game on Tuesday.
Other notes from around the league:
- Retirement winds are beginning to blow around Pittsburgh Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin. It remains unclear exactly when the Russian forward is expecting to retire, though sources around the team say Pittsburgh is unlikely to offer him a new contract next summer, per Josh Yohe of The Athletic. Malkin will enter unrestricted free agency after the 2025-26 season after riding out a four-year, $24.4MM contract. He posted the lowest scoring pace of his career this season, with 50 points in 68 games equating to 0.74 points-per-game. That mark surpassed his previous career-low of 0.82 set last season, when he scored 27 goals and 67 points in 82 games. Those numbers are still mighty impressive, and could earn Malkin a few more years even as he slows down. He could also be a candidate to leave the NHL with a few good years left, and finish his playing career in Russia’s KHL. Mettalurg Magnitogorsk continue to hold Malkin’s KHL rights. He previously appeared in 169 games and scored 156 points with the club.
- Top free agent Mitch Marner may take his time deciding on a new landing spot when the market opens on July 1st, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on his latest 32 Thoughts podcast. Friedman adds that Marner could have plans to establish meetings throughout multiple cities before he signs his next deal. Negotiations for Marner’s last contract – a six-year, $65.41MM deal signed in 2019 – notoriously dragged on through September. He posted multiple career-years on the deal, including breaking the century mark for the first time this season with 102 points in 81 games. Marner is likely to rival records with a lengthy and expensive deal this season. Taking time to ensure it’s with the right fit will be a helpful bit of due diligence.
Hrm. Geno isn’t a star any more, but what he still brings to the table doesn’t *suck*. Short of him cratering next year, what harm is there in offering him a one-year deal?
Why though ? The Pens are going to rebuild heavy
In which case they need to start NOW. (Hell, they needed to start three years ago, but that ship done sailed.) Just go scorched earth. Never mind trading Karlsson, they couldn’t offload him for free. Suck it up and let the contract run out. Never mind resigning Grzelcyk, he’s on the wrong side of 30. Get everything and anything they can for Rust, Rakell, Heinen, Graves, Jarry, Nedeljkovic, ANYone who isn’t going to be on the right side of 30 three seasons from now. Put “Ooo, we can’t do that to Crosby” out of their heads right now. The job must be to do the best job of tanking they can.
And if they’re not prepared to do anything short of that, eh, why not let Malkin retire a Penguin, as we’d all like a future Hall of Famer of his status to do?
Pens finished ahead of Boston. Boston was trying to win.
So, the Bruins should scorch the Earth and then nuke it, right?
Eh, why not Google “strawman argument” while you’re at it. You’re really not going to win any kindergarten “nyah nyah, your team sucks worse than mine” screeds.
The question is no longer hypothetical, which admittedly it was before they imploded and, again, finished below a team that “should have been blown up three years ago”.
Based on every piece of logic you have espoused on this topic, your position at this point (in theory) should be that they should blow it up and extract value instead of spinning their tires for a few more years when their players are worth far less.
They have a few core pieces that can net big returns, so that’s what they should do, blow it up now instead of waiting too long like the Pens, right?
Or is it less obvious for your own team?
Maybe he doesn’t want to do it and would rather finish in Magnitogorsk playing a bigger role, but I don’t see why Geno can’t finish out with a reduced role on one year, cheap deals like Joe Thornton.
All time great.
It seems like the whole “I’m the big prize, I’ll take my sweet time” move only limits your market to teams willing to put all of their eggs in one basket. Lots of teams (wisely) won’t do that.
Why not just be ready to move quick on July 1 and have every possible team that wants to bid on you bidding on you?
You need to tour their practice rink that badly? Go house shopping and Google the schools now. It makes no sense, really.