1,000 Games of Loyalty, Grit, and Quiet Greatness: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Set for Milestone with Oilers
On Sunday night in Edmonton, the spotlight will shine a little brighter at Rogers Place-and for good reason. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to skate in his 1,000th NHL game, all of them in an Edmonton Oilers sweater. That’s not just a milestone-it’s a legacy.
The Oilers will honor Nugent-Hopkins with a pregame ceremony ahead of their matchup against the St. Louis Blues, recognizing a player who’s quietly become one of the most enduring and respected figures in franchise history. His family, teammates, and a few special guests will be in attendance to celebrate a journey that’s been anything but ordinary.
Let’s put this into perspective: Nugent-Hopkins will become the first player in Oilers history to play all 1,000 of his NHL games with the team. That’s a rare feat in today’s NHL, where player movement is constant and long-term loyalty is increasingly uncommon. Only Kevin Lowe has played more games in an Oilers jersey-with 1,037 over two stints-but Nugent-Hopkins is closing in fast.
From No. 1 Pick to Franchise Fixture
Drafted first overall in 2011, expectations were sky-high from the start. Nugent-Hopkins was supposed to be a cornerstone, and while his path hasn’t always been linear, he’s been exactly that. Through rebuilds, coaching changes, playoff heartbreaks, and now championship aspirations, he’s been a steady presence-producing, evolving, and sticking with the team through thick and thin.
“Obviously, coming in as the first pick, there’s a lot of expectations and talk around you,” Nugent-Hopkins said earlier this week. “But what I started to learn is that I’m just who I am.
I can’t control the outside things. I’m going to be the player I’m going to be and try to be the best version of myself.”
That mindset has served him well. Over 998 games heading into Saturday night’s tilt against Vancouver, Nugent-Hopkins has tallied 282 goals and 785 points. Add another 23 goals and 81 points in 96 playoff games, and you start to see the full picture of his impact-not just as a scorer, but as a player who consistently shows up when it matters most.
Commitment Through the Climb
Now in year five of an eight-year contract that carries a $5.125 million AAV, Nugent-Hopkins made it clear when he signed: he didn’t want to be anywhere else.
“At that time, there was not a question this is where I wanted to be,” he said. “I wanted to do whatever structure, whatever to make it work here, and there was not a serious thought that I had about leaving.”
That loyalty wasn’t blind-it was earned. Nugent-Hopkins lived through the dark days, the years when the Oilers were stuck in a cycle of missed opportunities and growing pains.
But he also saw the light at the end of the tunnel. He believed in what was being built, and now, with Edmonton emerging as a legitimate contender, he’s still right in the middle of it.
“Part of it was that I went through a lot of dark days, struggled, and then the team was coming and we were building something,” he added. “We were getting to a point where we were going to have a chance to win and I didn’t want to leave that.”
A Milestone Worth Celebrating
Hitting 1,000 games in the NHL is no small feat. It takes durability, consistency, and a level of professionalism that only a handful of players truly master.
Doing it with one franchise? That’s something else entirely.
Nugent-Hopkins has done it with humility, work ethic, and a team-first mentality that’s made him a fan favorite and a locker room leader.
While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl often headline the marquee, Nugent-Hopkins has been the glue-quietly doing the dirty work, playing in all situations, and never shying away from the big moments. He’s the kind of player every contending team needs, and the Oilers are lucky he’s theirs.
The weekend sets up as a special one for the Oilers faithful. Edmonton faces Vancouver on Saturday night before returning home Sunday to take on the Blues-and to celebrate one of their own.
So raise your stick, Edmonton. Nuge has earned it.