Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Sidelined for Two Weeks After Practice Injury

The Edmonton Oilers are riding a three-game win streak, but the hockey gods always demand a sacrifice. Head coach Mike Babcock announced Tuesday that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered an injury in practice and will be shelved for roughly two weeks, according to Elliotte Friedman.

Getting hurt in practice is the professional sports equivalent of pulling a hamstring while reaching for the TV remote. You survive the actual car crashes on the ice every night, only to get sidelined during a Tuesday passing drill.

"Elliotte Friedman reported Mike Babcock's announcement that Nugent-Hopkins suffered an injury in practice with a two-week timeline."

Nugent-Hopkins is the ultimate structural beam for Edmonton. He averages 65 points per 82 games over his career and handles the two-way dirty work that lets the top-line guys actually be superstars.

Losing him for half a month leaves a massive crater in the middle of the ice. The Oilers have been an absolute wagon lately, giving up just three total goals over their last three wins against the Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames.

Bettors looking at Edmonton's upcoming back-to-back slate against Vancouver need to factor in this absence immediately. Without their two-way anchor, the defensive structure that made those recent unders hit is suddenly a lot more vulnerable.

Babcock now has to shuffle his lines right as the Pacific Division schedule heats up. We will see exactly how much defensive stability leaves the building when the Canucks roll into town on September 30.