from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins may or may not know it. But with Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion taking in his second consecutive Edmonton Oilers game, he is auditioning.

For the Oilers first, and the Senators second....

Having Nugent-Hopkins makes for three centremen in the Top 6, which pleases the coach. Having that trio — plus the $6-million Milan Lucic — gives you four forwards earning $33 million beginning next season. That’s plenty.

And that’s what has Nugent-Hopkins auditioning for the Senators as well. Because, by the time this run on McDavid’s wing ends, if the coach and GM decide that Nugent-Hopkins is not the prototypical winger for this prodigal centreman, then they might decide that Mike Hoffman is.

Hoffman makes $5.2 million for the next two seasons. He’s roughly a 25-goal man who, we would guess, could do much better than that in a season spent on McDavid’s flank. Chiarelli has already mused about the problem of having $27 million wrapped up in three centremen.

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