2011 NHL Entry Draft: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a Player for the Ages
Less than a day away, the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft will begin, and according to the scouts who have travelled the world in search of top NHL capable material, it seems like this year’s prospects will be some of the best this event will
be ever graced with.
18-year-old Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is considered to be the best player in this year’s draft and it is easy to notice why.
The number one prospect in North America registered 106 points with Red Deer Rebels, a minor league team of the Western Hockey League (WHL), including his league leading 75 assists along with 31 goals.
Nugent-Hopkins is ready to join the NHL immediately, and would love to lead Edmonton Oilers, that has the first overall pick for the second time in a row, to a Stanley Cup alongside former number one pick, Taylor Hall, but would not mind spending another
season with Red Deer.
"Red Deer should have a good team next year, so if I did go first overall and I played another year of juniors I think it'd be good for me just getting bigger and stronger", Nugent-Hopkins said. "Obviously my goal is to crack the NHL and make an NHL team,
whichever team it is, but if I do go back I wouldn't be disappointed".
In his rookie year with Rebels, Nugent-Hopkins led Rebels to its first WHL postseason in over three years and registered 65 points in 67 games at the young age of 16.
He was also named the assistant captain of Canada’s Under-18 team at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial in the Czech Republic and scored the only goal which led them to winning gold at the event.
Edmonton Oilers would really benefit from using Nugent-Hopkins’ abilities with Taylor Hall according to analysts. The pair would help Edmonton build its much needed offensive end and put them at an advantage in the upcoming season.
The Canadian native from Burnaby, British Columbia, is excited about forecasted as the number one pick and he should be, especially in a hockey market like Canada.
It will sure be exciting to see what happens in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft which begins on Friday, June 24.
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