Oilers select Ryan Nugent-Hopkins & Oscar Klefbom in round one
With the No. 1 overall pick, Edmonton takes skilled centre of WHL's Red Deer Rebels; Oilers take Oscar Klefbom at No. 19
Friday, 24.06.2011 / 10:27 PM
/ News
By Edmonton Oilers Press Release
Comment
Print
PLAYER PROFILES: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | Oscar Klefbom
General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers, with the number one 2011 NHL Entry Draft selection, have selected Ryan Hugent-Hopkins of the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels.
Nugent-Hopkins was drafted 1st overall by the Rebels and won the WHL Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 after recording 65 points (24G, 41A) in 67 games. He was also a finalist for Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year. His 65 points put him tied for 4th in the league in points.
Internationally, Nugent-Hopkins represented Team Canada at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in which he served as an alternate captain on the team, and scored the game winning goal in the gold medal game against the United States. Nugent-Hopkins finished the tournament as Canada's leading scorer with five goals and two assists in five games. During the 2010-11 season, Nugent-Hopkins was also invited to try out at Canada’s 2011 National Junior Team selection camp.
With their second first round selection, the Oilers took Swedish defenceman Oscar Klefbom. The 6'4" 200 pound blueliner played last season for Farjestads of the Swedish Elite League at 17 years of age, playing 23 games for the Elitserien champions Frajestad. He was teammates with fellow draft prospect Jonas Brodin (No. 3 ranked European).
He captained Team Sweden to a silver medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championships finishing with four points (1-3--4) and a plus-four rating in six games. He generated 24 shots on net to lead all defencemen on the team.
Edmonton Oilers hockey is presented in part by the Rexall Family of Pharmacies, Molson Canadian, ATB Financial, Cenovus Energy and Ford.
More details and coverage to come.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS PROFILE:
Oilers Head Amateur Scout Stu MacGregor
"Ryan is a highly skilled, highly intelligent and creative hockey player. He’s got so much skill and we’re obviously attracted to that. The way he controls the puck is really something. He can dominant a game by being that set-up threat or scoring on his own. He can do both extremely well.
"Any player needs to put on strength and bulk in order to play in the NHL to handle the rigours of a long schedule and playing against men. It’s something that most young prospects have to deal with. The thing with Ryan is that he’s pretty tall (6’1"), so that will naturally help him out and potentially help him grow."
NHL Central Scouting’s B.J. MacDonald
"(Nugent-Hopkins) has very good puck-handling capabilities. His on-ice awareness is very good. He's one of those guys that knows where everyone is and where they should be and where the puck should go. He can dish both right or left, either on his backhand or forehand with that kind of vision. But not just the vision, but the fact he can lay that puck between the skate boot and the skate blade -- that's hard to find."
NHL Central Scouting’s Peter Sullivan
"A couple of people high up -- and not naming names -- said Hopkins has the best vision since No. 99 (Wayne Gretzky). That's the highest compliment you can get. But the other thing is the way he competes. He never takes a night off and he works as hard in his own end as he does in the offensive zone and that takes a special player with a special set of skills to do that."
MORE ON NUGENT-HOPKINS
FAVOURITES
International Scouting Service:
"Buried on a strong team in the Swedish Elite league, Klefbom wasn’t really able to strut his stuff until international competitions with the Swedish U18 team. And strut his stuff he did! Klefbom is still very raw but already well beyond the skill level of most of his peers, making him a very desirable prospect, but one who is overwhelmingly underrated. He is big, mobile and reliable. He is able to handle the puck well in traffic and rush up ice effectively. He has very good instincts with the puck at the point and loves to jump in off the weakside away from the puck. He has excellent speed and can recover well after aggressive pinches. He is a strong leader and plays hard consistently.
NHL Potential:
He’s going to surprise – Top pairing and all-star potential
Style compares to:
Ryan Whitney
MORE ON KLEFBOM
General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers, with the number one 2011 NHL Entry Draft selection, have selected Ryan Hugent-Hopkins of the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels.
VIDEO - IN FOCUS: Tom Gazzola wraps up Round 1 from Xcel Energy Center
- VIDEO: Oilers make first overall selection
- VIDEO: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is interviewed after being selected
- VIDEO: Tom Gazzola chats with Taylor Hall & Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- VIDEO: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins & Steve Tambellini
- VIDEO: GM Steve Tambellini on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- VIDEO: GM Steve Tambellini on Oscar Klefbom
- VIDEO: GM Steve Tambellini on Ryan Smyth
- VIDEO: Stu MacGregor on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- VIDEO: Stu MacGregor on Oscar Klefbom
AUDIO: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins interview- AUDIO: Stu MacGregor after round one
- AUDIO: GM Steve Tambellini after round on
- AUDIO: Taylor Hall & Ryan Nugent-Hopkins chat with Tom Gazzola
View a photo gallery
Nugent-Hopkins was drafted 1st overall by the Rebels and won the WHL Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 after recording 65 points (24G, 41A) in 67 games. He was also a finalist for Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year. His 65 points put him tied for 4th in the league in points.
Internationally, Nugent-Hopkins represented Team Canada at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in which he served as an alternate captain on the team, and scored the game winning goal in the gold medal game against the United States. Nugent-Hopkins finished the tournament as Canada's leading scorer with five goals and two assists in five games. During the 2010-11 season, Nugent-Hopkins was also invited to try out at Canada’s 2011 National Junior Team selection camp.
With their second first round selection, the Oilers took Swedish defenceman Oscar Klefbom. The 6'4" 200 pound blueliner played last season for Farjestads of the Swedish Elite League at 17 years of age, playing 23 games for the Elitserien champions Frajestad. He was teammates with fellow draft prospect Jonas Brodin (No. 3 ranked European).
He captained Team Sweden to a silver medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championships finishing with four points (1-3--4) and a plus-four rating in six games. He generated 24 shots on net to lead all defencemen on the team.
Edmonton Oilers hockey is presented in part by the Rexall Family of Pharmacies, Molson Canadian, ATB Financial, Cenovus Energy and Ford.
More details and coverage to come.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS PROFILE:
 |
||||
| Ryan NUGENT-HOPKINS |  |
|||
| North American Skater | ||||
| RED DEER, WHL |
||||
| Final Rank: | 1 | Midterm Rank: | 3 | |
| Position: | CENTRE | Shoots: | LEFT | |
| Height: | 6' 1" |
Weight: | 175 | |
| Born: | APRIL 12, 1993 |
Hometown: | BURNABY, BC |
|
| Born in: | BURNABY, BC |
|||
Oilers Head Amateur Scout Stu MacGregor
"Ryan is a highly skilled, highly intelligent and creative hockey player. He’s got so much skill and we’re obviously attracted to that. The way he controls the puck is really something. He can dominant a game by being that set-up threat or scoring on his own. He can do both extremely well.
"Any player needs to put on strength and bulk in order to play in the NHL to handle the rigours of a long schedule and playing against men. It’s something that most young prospects have to deal with. The thing with Ryan is that he’s pretty tall (6’1"), so that will naturally help him out and potentially help him grow."
NHL Central Scouting’s B.J. MacDonald
"(Nugent-Hopkins) has very good puck-handling capabilities. His on-ice awareness is very good. He's one of those guys that knows where everyone is and where they should be and where the puck should go. He can dish both right or left, either on his backhand or forehand with that kind of vision. But not just the vision, but the fact he can lay that puck between the skate boot and the skate blade -- that's hard to find."
NHL Central Scouting’s Peter Sullivan
"A couple of people high up -- and not naming names -- said Hopkins has the best vision since No. 99 (Wayne Gretzky). That's the highest compliment you can get. But the other thing is the way he competes. He never takes a night off and he works as hard in his own end as he does in the offensive zone and that takes a special player with a special set of skills to do that."
MORE ON NUGENT-HOPKINS
Nugent-Hopkins could be Edmonton's coveted centre
- Tencer: RNH en route to NHL
- Nugent-Hopkins proves substance equal to stature
Nugent-Hopkins before the Combine
- Nugent-Hopkins following physical testing at the Combine
- IN FOCUS: Nugent-Hopkins Interview
- Prospects on Ice
FAVOURITES
- NHL team: Pittsburgh and Ottawa
- NHL player: Sidney Crosby
- Shootout move: "Fake shot, fake backhand, back to forehand"
- Goal celebration: "One knee up, double fist pump, look to the sky"
- Video game: NHL ‘10
- Movie: Legends of the Fall
- TV show: Friends
- Actor/Actress: Leonardo DiCaprio, Anne Hathaway
- Cartoon: The Simpsons
- Website: facebook.com
- Pump-up song: ‘Savior’ by Rise Against
- Restaurant: Cactus Club Café
- Sport (other than hockey): Football
- Breakfast food: French toast
- Superhero: Batman
 |
||||
| Oscar KLEFBOM |  |
|||
| European Skater | ||||
| Farjestad, Sweden |
||||
| Final Rank: | 6 | Midterm Rank: | 8 | |
| Position: | DEFENCE | Shoots: | LEFT | |
| Height: | 6' 4" |
Weight: | 200 | |
| Born: | JULY 20, 1993 |
Hometown: | KARLSTAD, SWE |
|
| Born in: | KARLSTAD, SWE |
|||
International Scouting Service:
"Buried on a strong team in the Swedish Elite league, Klefbom wasn’t really able to strut his stuff until international competitions with the Swedish U18 team. And strut his stuff he did! Klefbom is still very raw but already well beyond the skill level of most of his peers, making him a very desirable prospect, but one who is overwhelmingly underrated. He is big, mobile and reliable. He is able to handle the puck well in traffic and rush up ice effectively. He has very good instincts with the puck at the point and loves to jump in off the weakside away from the puck. He has excellent speed and can recover well after aggressive pinches. He is a strong leader and plays hard consistently.
NHL Potential:
He’s going to surprise – Top pairing and all-star potential
Style compares to:
Ryan Whitney
MORE ON KLEFBOM
edmontonoilers.com is the official Web site of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. The Edmonton Oilers and edmontonoilers.com are trademarks of Rexall Sports Corp. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2013 Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.