Veteran centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the Edmonton Oilers’ season opener with a lower-body injury.
The Oilers announced the ailment Tuesday, hours before kicking off their season against the visiting Vancouver Canucks.
Nugent-Hopkins is entering his 16th season with the Oilers after being selected by the team first overall at the 2011 NHL draft.
Nugent-Hopkins staying with Oilers
The forward from Burnaby, B.C., had 20 goals last year — hitting that mark for the seventh time in his career — while adding 36 assists over 72 games.
He has 804 points (291 goals, 513 assists) over 1,031 regular-season games with Edmonton.
Nugent-Hopkins is expected to centre Edmonton’s second line this season, and his absence may force new coach Mike Babcock to play superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at centre on separate lines against the Canucks.
“Any time they tell me day-to-day, that usually means two weeks,” Babcock said when asked how long Nugent-Hopkins will be out.
Babcock also confirmed Tristan Jarry will start in goal for the Oilers, with recently acquired Frederik Andersen out until December with a knee injury.
