Speculation is growing that the Edmonton Oilers may be reconsidering Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' role within the team's forward lineup. After several seasons as a mainstay in the top six, questions are being raised about whether the veteran forward is still the best fit in a prominent role.

Nugent-Hopkins, who was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2011, has been a versatile and reliable player for the team throughout his career. He has consistently contributed on the power play and penalty kill, while also providing offensive production. In the 2024-25 season, Nugent-Hopkins recorded 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points in 78 games. He has accumulated 748 points (271 goals, 477 assists) in 959 regular-season games and 79 points (22 goals, 57 assists) in 92 playoff games.

However, concerns have emerged regarding Nugent-Hopkins' five-on-five production. According to a recent article in The Athletic, his 1.24 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five last season was the third-lowest of his career. Furthermore, the article pointed out that the Oilers' offense performed better when Connor McDavid was not paired with Nugent-Hopkins, despite the fact that Nugent-Hopkins spent nearly half of his even-strength minutes playing alongside McDavid.

This decline in production has led to speculation about whether Nugent-Hopkins can maintain a top-six role moving forward. Veteran Oilers analyst Allan Mitchell has suggested that Nugent-Hopkins may be on the verge of a role reduction or even a departure from the team. Mitchell also noted that Nugent-Hopkins "would seem to be a reasonable trade option for a team looking for room under the cap". Nugent-Hopkins currently has a $5.125 million cap hit through 2028.

It has been reported that Oilers general manager Stan Bowman approached multiple players with no-trade or no-move clauses, including Evander Kane, Adam Henrique, and Darnell Nurse. However, it is unclear whether Nugent-Hopkins was among those approached.

Despite the concerns raised by some analysts, many Oilers fans are in favor of keeping Nugent-Hopkins on the team. Some fans argue that he has earned the right to play out his contract in Edmonton and that he provides valuable leadership and versatility. Others believe that he is still a capable top-six forward and that the concerns about his production are premature.

Ultimately, the Oilers' decision regarding Nugent-Hopkins' role will depend on their overall strategy for building a competitive team. If they believe that he can still contribute in a significant way, they may opt to keep him in the top six or give him a more specialized role. However, if they prioritize cap space and believe that his production is likely to continue to decline, they may explore the possibility of trading him.