Every once in a while, a moment pops up through the chaos of an NHL season, and you realize you’ve been watching the same player your entire adult life. For many Oilers fans around our fair city, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is that guy. As I write this today, my man is knocking on the door of his 1000th game, he’s closing in on 800 points, and if the Hockey Gords are kind, 1000 points isn’t out of the question either. And somehow, through 15 years as an Oiler, he’s still just… Nuge. Same calm presence. Same quiet confidence. Same guy who never makes it about himself.

It’s wild to think that I’ve been shouting Nugent-Hopkins’ praises since June 24, 2011, when Steve Tambellini walked to the podium in Minnesota and called his name as the first overall pick. I didn’t know it at the time, but that moment kicked off one of the longest, dumbest, and most heartfelt fan commitments of my life. It was then that I appointed myself as the President and CEO of the RNH Fan Club, a schtick that’d I’d carry forward for nearly two decades. And I remember when it happened, too. Three games into his career, Nuge picked up a hat trick against Vancouver, and my brain decided, “Yep. This is the guy.”

From that moment on, it was ride or die. #KeepNugeForever wasn’t just a slogan — it was a belief system.

What makes this approaching milestone so wild is everything Nuge has lived through as an Oiler. The Decade of Darkness wasn’t some small chunk of his career, but rather his formative years. There were countless coaching changes, GMs coming and going, trades of all types, countless teammates/linemates, lost seasons, draft lotteries, and constant pressure to be something more, louder, flashier, or different. And through it all, RNH just kept showing up and quietly going about his business. He moved positions without complaint. Took less money when he didn’t have to. Did whatever was asked of him, even when the team around him was a floating dumpster fire. Plenty of guys would have bolted. Nuge stayed the course.

Now here we are, on the other side of all that pain and extended summers, watching our king play meaningful hockey on a team with real Stanley Cup dreams. After all those disastrous seasons, it feels fitting that RNH is getting the chance to go for the NHL’s ultimate prize. While no one would argue he’s the best player on the team, I think most of us would agree that he is one of the most important ones. A Swiss Army knife on the ice. First-line winger one night, shutdown centre the next. Power play weapon. Penalty kill staple. Quiet leader who never needs to say much because he’s already earned the respect. Teammates love him. Fans adore him. Coaches trust him with everything.

And to do all that in the shadows of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl while also being criminally underrated is a testament to who he is as a person. Let Connor and Leon get all the love? No problem. Nuge is going to keep chugging along anyway.

So, when I think about Nugent-Hopkins’ 15 seasons as an Oiler, the first thing that comes to mind is the story of a guy who stuck around through years of hell just to (hopefully) make it out the other side. He’s basically the NHL equivalent of Andy Dufresne, crawling through miles of shit and coming out clean on the other side. Will his jersey hang in the rafters one day? I don’t know. That’s not really the point. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins may never get a statue, but he is unquestionably one of the most important Edmonton Oilers of all time. When all is said and done, he will be the longest-tenured Oiler of all time with more games than Kevin Lowe, Ryan Smyth, Mark Messier, or any other name that pops in your mind when it comes to this franchise.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was a bridge between eras. He was a constant when nothing else was, and now, a core piece of a Stanley Cup contender.

As someone who has spent 15 years yelling into the internet about how good this guy is, it’s honestly hard not to get a little emotional about how far we’ve come. From draft night hope, through the dark years of playoff-less hockey, to meaningful spring runs over the last handful of years, Nuge has been there through every twist the rollercoaster has to offer. Same logo. Same city. Same understated excellence. If you’re an Oilers fan, you don’t just appreciate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, you trust him. I know his horse may be named Infinite Patience, but that also seems fitting for the man who has given everything to the team that selected him #1 all those years ago.

So here’s to Game 1000, Nuge. Playing this long at the highest level of hockey has to offer is a hell of an accomplishment, regardless of who we’re talking about. Yet, on this day, we get to celebrate our man who has stuck with us through thick and thin. Here’s to 800 points, and hopefully 1000 someday soon. And here’s to one of the easiest players this city has ever had to cheer for, and one who seems to appreciate being here just as much as we appreciate him. Keep Nuge Forever wasn’t just a joke. It turned out to be a pretty damn good idea.