Draft Day Awaits Top Prospect Nugent-Hopkins
By David Adams
Taylor Hall. John Tavares. Steven Stamkos. Patrick Kane.
All can say that they have been in the shoes of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels as the 2011 NHL Entry Draft approaches this weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota.
They represent the last four CHL players selected first overall by NHL clubs and each felt the pressure and expectations of being rated the top prospect, similar to what Nugent- Hopkins is feeling right now.
“There is some added pressure (as the No. 1-ranked player),” Nugent-Hopkins told NHL.com. “But I was young when I was drafted first overall by Red Deer in the WHL draft (in 2008) so I’m a little used to it. I know (the NHL) is a bigger stage, but I kind of got a feel for it now.”
Even with all of the added pressure coming into this year, Nugent- Hopkins continued his growth in 2010-11 with the Rebels. After recording 65 points in 67 games in 2009-10, ‘Hoppy’ as his teammates refer to him, tallied 31 goals, 75 assists for 106 points this year. He made it to the final round of cuts for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship camp and was awarded the Jack Links Top Prospect Award at the CHL Awards this past May.
The NHL Combine also provided Nugent- Hopkins another opportunity to express himself physically and mentally to teams around the league.
“I’m not a big bench press guy, as you could probably tell,” he said after completing some of the tests. “But the VO2 and Wingate (bike tests) are going to be the toughest, definitely”.
He has since completed interviews with several NHL teams and feels good about a team just up the road from Red Deer – the Edmonton Oilers who hold the first overall pick for the second straight year.
“Edmonton was the first team to interview me and it went really well. I got a good feeling from them and I’m starting to feel more comfortable around them now because I’ve had a couple of interviews with them, so it’s been going pretty well. I’m looking forward to draft day.”
With the combine behind him and the draft in just a few days, Nugent Hopkins is just trying to enjoy his time and make the most of the unique situation that he is in.
“Whether I go back to junior or remain in the NHL, I think I’ll benefit either way. I mean, if I do make the NHL, then I’ll learn a lot there from the older guys. But if I do go back to junior, it’ll be a good year for me to just get bigger and stronger; and the team at Red Deer will be good next year and we could make a run for it.”
Only time will tell for the number one prospect in junior hockey and that time is just around the corner.
