One of them was seen as a bust half-way through the 2021-22 season, another of the bets made by Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland that had failed to pay off.
And one of them missed most of the season due to heart inflammation after getting COVID, while also refusing vaccination, earning the ire of many pro-vaxx Edmonton Oilers fans.
All three of them are smaller NHLers, hardly the Big Bobby Clobber type.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the centre-turned-winger-now-back-to-centre, Derek Ryan, who was busted down to fourth line half way through the year, and Josh Archibald, he of COVID infamy, were indeed an unlikely trio if you were to pick three players who would step up to form Edmonton’s all-important third line in the playoffs.
