Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be sidelined six-to-eight weeks with a hand injury, coach Todd McLellan told the team's website on Tuesday.
Nugent-Hopkins suffered the injury after blocking a shot during the second period of Edmonton's 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday. McLellan told reporters after the contest that the 22-year-old Nugent-Hopkins would be sidelined "long-term" before putting a timetable on it on Tuesday.
RNH out of #Oilers lineup 6-8 weeks says Coach McLellan.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 19, 2016
When asked if rookie phenom Connor McDavid will be expedited back into the lineup, McLellan was quick to answer in the negative. Via the Edmonton Oilers' official Twitter account:
"Not one bit. (McDavid's) not ready."
McDavid suffered a broken left clavicle in a Nov. 3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The top overall pick of the 2015 draft tentatively is scheduled to return after the All-Star break.
"(RNH) plays a lot of minutes & does everything for us. The rest of us need to step up & fill the void." @Drat_29 pic.twitter.com/SKM46HRHIz
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 19, 2016
Nugent-Hopkins has collected eight goals and 22 assists this season, with his 30 points putting him third on the team behind Taylor Hall (45) and Leon Draisaitl (35). The top overall pick of the 2011 draft, Nugent-Hopkins has scored 73 goals and set up 145 others in 304 career contests - all with the Oilers.
Edmonton (19-23-5), which resides in last place in the Western Conference, will play the second contest of its three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning (24-17-4).
