Oilers' Nugent-Hopkins out for season opener with lower-body injury

VANCOUVER — Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will not play in the team's season opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

Head coach Mike Babcock said Nugent-Hopkins is sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered at the end of practice Monday.

"You've just got to figure out how you play it and so we're going to figure out how to play it," Babcock said.

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Babcock said Nugent-Hopkins is expected to be out for about two weeks, describing the absence as short-term.

The 33-year-old had 20 goals and 36 assists for 56 points in 72 games for the Oilers last season, adding two goals and five points in six playoff games.

The injury is a major blow to Edmonton’s centre depth and could force Babcock to split up stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl after the two spent all of training camp on a line together.

Nugent-Hopkins is entering his 16th season with the Oilers, who selected him first overall in the 2011 NHL draft.

In other injury news from around the league, Buffalo Sabres defenceman Mattias Samuelsson skated Tuesday and could practice Wednesday, coach Lindy Ruff said.

Samuelsson was injured in a preseason game on Sept. 22 after blocking a shot and had been listed as week to week with a lower-body injury.

Sabres defenceman Olen Zellweger is day to day and has been in concussion protocol since Sept. 22.

Forward Conor Timmins has a lower-body injury and there is no timeline on his return.

Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk did not practice Monday while being evaluated for a lower-body injury, but coach Manny Malhotra said he would be available for the season opener.

"We just needed an extra day to evaluate," Malhotra said. "We don't expect any changes to his availability (Tuesday)."

Malhotra said the injury occurred during a preseason game against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday when DeBrusk was hit by a shot from teammate Brock Boeser.

St. Louis Blues defenceman Logan Mailloux will miss at least eight weeks after having surgery on his right hand Sunday, the team announced.

Blues general manager Alexander Steen said Mailloux had been expected to start the season on the right side of one of their top defence pairs.

Defenceman Tyler Tucker was placed on injured reserve Monday because of a lower-body injury and is considered week to week.

Utah Mammoth defenceman Maveric Lamoureux had surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder and will be out four to six months, general manager Bill Armstrong announced.

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Bryan Rust on injured reserve Monday after he sustained an upper-body injury in a preseason game Saturday.

"'Rusty' is obviously a huge part of our group," coach Dan Muse said Sunday. "I thought he had a great camp, and so, it's unfortunate."

The Penguins also placed forwards Justin Brazeau, Ben Kindel, Blake Lizotte and defenceman Ryan Graves on injured reserve.

Lizotte is considered day to day, Brazeau and Kindel are considered week to week, and Graves is out indefinitely.

General manager Kyle Dubas said Graves had knee surgery at the end of last season and that knee is causing him issues.

The Oilers and Canucks face off at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

With files from Sportsnet and TSN