2011 NHL Draft Results: B/R Interview with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Standing 6'0", 174 lbs, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is projected to go No. 1 to the Edmonton Oilers after spending three years with the Red Deer (Alberta) Rebels.

Last season, Nugent-Hopkins had 31 goals, 75 assists (106 points) in 69 games played in the Western Hockey League.

Nugent-Hopkins is a playmaker who is expected to boost the performance of skaters around him.

At an unprecedented Reebok-CCM sponsored event at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, Nugent-Hopkins sat down with Bleacher Report to discuss the draft process and his future in the National Hockey League.

Questions are presented in bold. Answers are in standard print.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Interviews were conducted at a Reebok-CCM NHL Draft Prospects Event in Mendota Heights, MN.

On Draft Week

On the week before the draft:

It’s been pretty fun. We’ve been doing fun events yesterday and obviously today we’ve had a lot of fun out there and it’s going to be really fun tomorrow.

Is this anything like you’ve done before?

It’s definitely brand new. You never know what to expect going into draft week, but it’ll definitely be a lot of fun.

Is this something that you enjoy?

I’m definitely enjoying this. It helps us get ready and get our minds off of the weekend. This has been a lot of fun.

On Fellow NHL Prospects

How are you getting to know the other prospects?

I knew quite a few of them already.

I played Under-18s with Jonathan Huberdeau and Dougie Hamilton and I was at [a camp] with a...scout last year and met Couturier, and I went to a junior camp this year and then I saw them at the combine again.

I know them all from the past, so it’s good. We’re all pretty good guys.

Do you enjoy hanging out with them on a week like this?

Definitely, I think it’s great that we get to do this all together so we’re all in the same situation so it makes things a little bit easier.

We’re all just having fun together and it’s just easier when you’re with guys who are going through the same thing you are because you can talk about it and relax a little bit.

On the NHL Prospects Combine

On the combine:

It was a lot of fun, just getting to talk to some of the teams that I got to talk to before, that was pretty cool.

I got to meet some interesting people and the whole fitness thing was pretty interesting. I didn’t really know what to expect.

There was a lot of people watching and viewing it, and it was some pretty hard exercises.

On Interviews with NHL Coaches

On the interview process:

I don’t know. It can be, but most of the teams are really laid back and they just want to know you most of the time. Most of the time it’s not too hard, some teams might want to grill you a little bit, but you’ve just got to be yourself and have fun with it.

What are some of the questions that get asked almost every time?

What I got asked is if I’m ready to play in the NHL next year, what kind of player I am, for the guys who haven’t seen me play before. Those two are probably the most prominent ones.

On His Ability to Make an Impact in the NHL

Do you feel you’re ready to play in the NHL?

Yeah. My goal at the end of the offseason was to get in between 175-180 pounds, and I’m at 174 right now and I have a lot of time left. I feel like if I do put some weight on I’ll be ready. I’ve got to get mentally prepared as well. That’s going to be my goal going in.

How difficult is bulking up?

In the past, it’s been pretty hard for me. I’m just starting to fill out my body a little more now. I’ve been eating a lot, eating really healthy and working out quite a lot.

On What Type of Player He Expects to Be

What type of player are you?

I’m more of a playmaker. My point total has kinda indicated that this year. I had a lot more assists than goals.