NHL Roundup: Oilers extend Nugent-Hopkins' contract
The Edmonton Oilers reached an agreement with center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a seven year-contract extension, the team announced Thursday.
CBC and TSN reported that the deal is worth $42 million for the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.
In his first two seasons in the NHL, Nugent-Hopkins had 22 goals and 76 points in 102 games. Shoulder injuries that required surgery ended both seasons early.
The 20-year-old Nugent-Hopkins is working his way back from April shoulder surgery and not expected to play a regular-season game until November.
---Phoenix Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette is appealing the automatic 10-game suspension he was issued for leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation in an exhibition game with the Los Angeles Kings.
Bissonnette, a known enforcer, claims that he was entering the game as part of a line change to replace Max Domi. However, Domi was still on the ice and made no move toward the Coyotes' bench. If the suspension is not overturned, Bissonnette will miss most of the first month of the season without pay.
---The NHL suspended two players on Thursday for hits delivered during preseason games this week.
Detroit Red Wings forward Teemu Pulkkinen was suspended for four games and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Adam Erne
for three in separate incidents, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.
Pulkkinen received a major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding against Chicago defenseman Michael Kostka in the first period of Tuesday's Red Wings-Blackhawks game. Erne delivered a illegal check to the head of St. Louis forward Vladimir Sobotka in the first period of Wednesday night's Lightning-Blues exhibition. Erne also was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct.
