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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins set to make impressive Oilers franchise history vs. Devils
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- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins set to make impressive Oilers franchise history vs. Devils
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The Edmonton Oilers have been phenomenal this year. They are 11-2-2 and sitting in first in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid has already been smashing records. McDavid just broke a record once held by Wayne Gretzky, who set his record when he was a member of the Oilers in the 1980s.
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Now, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to break a franchise record of his own on Tuesday night, per Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com.
Nugent-Hopkins will play his 1,038th game with the Oilers on Tuesday, breaking the record once held by Kevin Lowe. Nugent-Hopkins and Lowe are the only two players in franchise history to play 1,000 games with the franchise. Ryan Smyth is third all-time in games played with the franchise. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl is fourth with 870 games and is still active with the franchise.
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"I'm very lucky and fortunate to have been able to hit this milestone with this team," Nugent-Hopkins said. "It really is a testament to a lot of these guys in this room, and not just the players but the staff, the trainers that have been here for my entire career."
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When Nugent-Hopkins showed up to the morning skate, he found all his teammates wearing T-shirts that showed him with a mullet, smoking a cigarette, wearing a camo shirt, and having a tattoo on his arm. On the shirt were the words "1038 Games Most Games Played as an Edmonton Oiler."
The team also played a video celebrating his career.
"I feel the love," Nugent-Hopkins said. "Having a video that they shared with me was definitely special. To have experienced a lot of these games with a few of the guys in here, it's pretty special. I'm very lucky and fortunate to have been able to hit this milestone with this team."
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Nugent-Hopkins was the first overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut with the team that October against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He scored his first goal in that game, and recalled his debut.
"The emotions, the whirlwind that I felt going into that game, were a lot different than now," he said. "Just going out there for the first time and feeling the atmosphere at the old Rexall Place, feeling the Edmonton crowd, was one that I'll never forget."
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Beyond being the franchise leader in games played, he is sixth in assists with the franchise, eighth in goals, and seventh in points.
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"This was the dream when I got drafted, and I haven't wavered throughout my whole career that I want to be an Edmonton Oiler," he said. "Start my career here, finish my career here. It means a ton to me."
The Oilers and Devils are set to face off at 7:30 pm ET on Tuesday night.
Related: Oilers' Connor McDavid breaks another Wayne Gretzky record in win vs. Rangers
Related: Harry Styles gets shoutout during Oilers' blowout of Rangers
