Oilers re-sign Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to 8-year deal

The Edmonton Oilers are running it back while they still have the best hockey player on the planet under contract.

Reported on Tuesday morning, the Oilers are re-signing forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to an eight-year deal that will come in at a cap hit of $5.125 million per season.

The contract extension will reportedly include a full no-movement clause — a familiar sight for fans of teams that Oilers GM Ken Holland was in charge of — meaning that Nugent-Hopkins will have full control of future transactions.

The 28-year-old was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and with so many teams on the rise, he would have surely had suitors pay him a higher salary. But instead, Nugent-Hopkins opted for the extra year on his contract and the job security to keep playing with the one and only Connor McDavid.

Nugent-Hopkins spent more time on the ice with McDavid last season than any other player at even-strength, boosting the offensive capability for Edmonton and changing his position from depth center to top-line winger. Through 52 games, Nugent-Hopkins scored 16 goals and 35 points — 20 of those on the power play.

This is a move to stay in the running for a playoff spot in next year’s new-look Pacific Division, now the Oilers just need to figure out the rest of the roster.

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