In the aftermath of the Edmonton Oilers’ playoff run, Connor McDavid took a moment during his post-season press conference to reveal that his teammate, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, played in the Stanley Cup Final with a broken hand.

The Oilers’ captain was quick in praising Nugent-Hopkins’ ability to play through a significant injury, revealing just how much the veteran forward battled to contribute to the team’s effort.

When asked about players battling injuries throughout the playoffs, McDavid spoke about how unfortunate it was that Zach Hyman wasn’t able to play, as well as the fact that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was grinding through a significant issue. “Nuge to be able to gut it out with a broken hand and give us what he gave us was pretty special,” McDavid said. “That was a pretty painful thing for him to go through, and it wasn’t easy to watch him go through that, but pretty amazing what he was able to do.”

Nugent-Hopkins, the longest tenured Oiler since being drafted first overall in 2011, put up an impressive six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 22 playoff games. Those numbers alone tell a story of a player who stepped up when it mattered most — he was a wizard against the Stars in the Western Conference Final — but McDavid’s comments add another layer to the story. Playing through a broken hand—an injury that would sideline most people—Nuge showed how much it meant to him to be competing for a Stanley Cup and going about his business regardless of the problems with his hand.

While it’s still unclear exactly when Nugent-Hopkins suffered the injury, the fact that he maintained such a high level of production is a tip of the cap to his resilience and how much he cares. For Oilers fans, it’s yet another reason to appreciate the quiet leadership of a player who’s been with the team (and fanbase) through thick and thin. McDavid’s words only reinforce what we’ve seen all along: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a key member of this core and a guy his teammates care for deeply.

As the Oilers reflect on what went wrong in the 2025 playoffs, moments like finding out RNH was playing with a broken hand highlight the character in the room. Nugent-Hopkins’ effort, as McDavid so aptly put it, was “pretty amazing”—a fitting description for a player who continues to prove why the organization kept him forever, broken hand and all. Heal up, Nuge. We’ll be cheering for you to be back and healthy for a 15th season come October.