Members of the Edmonton Oilers continued with media interviews as the team prepares for the upcoming NHL season. On Thursday, Oilers TV published an interview from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, one of their long-term forwards and a former No. 1 pick. A couple of the less-serious matters that he addressed in the interview had to do with his golf game and where he spent the offseason, which was in Vancouver. However, Nugent-Hopkins also spoke about the contracts that some of his teammates received, making the playoffs last season, and the possibility of changing position as a member of the Oilers this upcoming season.

Nugent-Hopkins indicated that he felt that the contracts that some of his teammates received were positive. Names weren't mentioned but the biggest contracts in Edmonton over the offseason involved Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. 'Nuge,' as he is affectionately known as in Edmonton, seems to think that the Oilers signing those players to long-term deals was the right move for the franchise to make.

Nuge hungry for more success after last year

Nugent-Hopkins himself has been with the Edmonton Oilers for several seasons now after entering the league following the 2011 NHL Draft. However last year was the first year that he played in the playoffs. In regard to that experience, he said it made him want "jump right back into it." His comments seemed to suggest that the Oilers have some unfinished business when it comes to playoff success.

Last year they made the second round of the playoffs, which was their best showing since the 2006 playoffs when the franchise made the Stanley Cup Finals.

Nuge willing to play a wing

The former No. 1 pick had been central to some trade gossip over the offseason and not just with the fringe sports websites. Back in June an Edmonton Journal writer, Jim Matheson, wrote about the possibility of the Oilers trading Nugent-Hopkins to the Montreal Canadiens.

The trade talk isn't totally dead but it has faded a bit. A part of the reason that there has been talk with him has to do with the fact that Nugent-Hopkins has typically played centre for the Oilers over the years.

That is a position that Edmonton now has a lot of depth in. Both McDavid and Draisaitl are centres and they are both more talented than Nuge.

Given that he makes a big salary it's natural that some would wonder if the Oilers would be better off putting him on the market. Nugent-Hopkins wasn't asked about the possibility of being traded and the topic seems to have faded over the summer. But the Oiler did speak about playing on a forward wing and he said it's not "too big of a transition," something that he's willing to do. The Oilers' pre-season starts on September 18th when they'll be playing in split-squad games against Calgary.
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