Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. The announcement was made Monday, as the team prepared to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that Nugent-Hopkins will be sidelined for at least a week.

The injury comes at an unfortunate time for the Oilers, who are looking to rebound from a rocky start to the 2025-26 season. The team is also reeling from a 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

It remains unclear when or how Nugent-Hopkins sustained the injury. He was in the lineup for the game against Colorado, logging a season-low 14 minutes and 50 seconds of ice time with a plus/minus rating of -4.

Nugent-Hopkins, 32, has been a vital player for the Oilers for many seasons. This season, he has five goals and 11 assists, totaling 16 points in 16 games. His point production places him third in team scoring behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Over his 15 NHL seasons and 975 regular-season games, Nugent-Hopkins has recorded 276 goals and 764 points, holding the seventh spot on the Oilers' all-time points list and second in games played.

In response to Nugent-Hopkins' injury, the Oilers have activated forward Mattias Janmark from injured reserve. Janmark is set to make his season debut. Janmark, who will turn 33 in December, has been with Edmonton since 2022.

The Oilers also made another roster move, placing winger Kasperi Kapanen on long-term injured reserve and increasing their LTIR pool by $1.3 million. Kapanen has been out since mid-October with an injury sustained in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Nugent-Hopkins' absence will be felt, particularly on the power play, where he has tallied two goals and seven assists this season. The Oilers will need to compensate for the loss of his offensive contributions and playmaking abilities.

The Oilers, currently with a 6-6-4 record, have struggled to find consistency despite strong individual performances from their top players. The team has lost three straight games. With Nugent-Hopkins on injured reserve, he is expected to miss the first three games of the Oilers' upcoming six-game road trip through the Eastern Conference, where they will face the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Oilers will look to regroup and find solutions to overcome the challenges posed by injuries and recent losses as they continue their season. The team's ability to adapt and maintain competitiveness during Nugent-Hopkins' absence will be crucial in the weeks ahead.