Oilers’ Nugent-Hopkins Uncertain for Game 4 Amid Injury Concerns

SUNRISE, Fla. — Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did not practice on Sunday due to an undisclosed injury, raising questions about his availability for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Nugent-Hopkins was a game-time decision before Game 3 but subsequently played only 15:34 in the previous match. He has an impressive playoff performance with 18 points in 18 games this postseason, contributing five goals and 13 assists. Nonetheless, head coach Kris Knoblauch stated that Nugent-Hopkins would evaluate his condition during warm-ups.

“He’ll take warm-up, and we’ll decide from there,” Knoblauch said, as the team prepares to avoid falling into a 3-1 series deficit.

Nugent-Hopkins’s presence is crucial on power plays and penalty kills, and his versatility allows him to shift roles depending on the team’s needs. If he cannot play, the Oilers will need to reassess their lineup, as they are already missing forward Zach Hyman due to wrist surgery.

“We have a lot of guys who can step in and play and are ready to go,” said teammate Skinner. “Obviously, Nugent-Hopkins is a huge part of this team.”

Meanwhile, the Panthers are looking to improve their lineup as well. Coach Paul Maurice noted the underwhelming performances from key players like Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart in the series. Both have struggled to produce offensively, mustering no goals or assists so far.

As the pressure mounts, the Oilers’ players, including captain Connor McDavid, echoed the need for a stronger collective effort. “It wasn’t our best at all,” McDavid commented about the team’s performance in Game 3. “But it’s coming. We’ll shift the focus to finding a way to get a win in Game 4.”

Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night in Sunrise, Florida, with Game 5 returning to Edmonton on Saturday.