EDMONTON - Life because he is aware you'll find it above.

Your change began finally week??s NHL entry draft once the Edmonton Oilers designed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins the first total pick.

It ongoing on Saturday when Nugent-Hopkins signed his three-year entry stage agreement.

???It can do nevertheless look a little surreal,?? mentioned the Oilers?? younger star, who received an additional taste of his new fame when he returned to Red Deer subsequent the draft.

???I only shut off several instances on, but I went around to my girlfriend??s cousin??s lacrosse sport and there were loads of minimal youngsters that arrived up and wanted to talk with me. That was seriously awesome. And that we ran out for lunch one particular evening as well as a few people came up,?? Nugent-Hopkins mentioned beforethrowing the ceremonial 1st pitch at Saturday??s Edmonton Capitals baseball sport at Telus Discipline.

He even squeezed inside an autograph session before the Capitals wrapped up their United states Baseball League collection towards the Maui Na Koa Ikaika.

There is going to be quite a few a lot more adjustments to the 18-year-old centre, but initially details very first. On Monday, Nugent-Hopkins will join thirty other Oilers prospective customers on the group??s annual development camp, which starts at 10 a.m. at Sherwood Park??s Millennium Position.

He??ll also attend Group Canada??s universe junior camp, that will be held in Edmonton the initial week of August, then take aspect inside the Oilers?? rookie camp in September.

Common supervisor Steve Tambellini claimed all over again on Saturday which the Oilers will not likely rush Nugent-Hopkins towards the NHL group??s roster this year. He just wished to get the agreement accomplished faster alternatively than later on, and due to the fact there isn??t substantially wiggle place together with the leading select, it wasn??t likely to consider much additional than a number of signatures.

???We can??t wait around to view him while using rest individuals guys at growth camp,?? mentioned Tambellini. ???We understand what he is being a hockey player, what he??s planning to be, however i don??t assume folks know but what a top quality particular person he's. I search forward to operating with him for a lot of quite a few many years.??

As the initial select, Nugent-Hopkins will obtain the optimum allowable rookie income, which happens to be $925,000 for 2011, up through the $900,000 that Taylor Hall(notes) obtained previous season. He'll be considered a $3.775 million salary-cap hit, that is one of the most he may make if he collects every single bonus.

???I didn??t count on it to become this effective, (but) that was wonderful. I was very ecstatic lake received that call,?? Nugent-Hopkins explained of his 1st pro deal. ???Now I'm able to just concentrate on the hockey component.??

Seeing that Nugent-Hopkins slipped you are using Oilers jersey to the draft podium in St. Paul, Minn., the group has modified considerably.

Veterans Ryan Smyth(notes) and Andy Sutton(notes) ended up additional via trades, although Eric Belanger(notes), Ben Keen(notes), Darcy Hordichuk(notes) and Cam Barker(notes) ended up signed as totally free agents on Friday. Gone are Colin Fraser(notes), Kurtis Foster(notes), Jim Vandermeer(notes), J.F. Jacques and Zack Stortini(notes).

With a lot operate accomplished about the opening day of cost-free company, Tambellini met along with his workers on Saturday to evaluate what moves will need to have to become designed to strengthen the Oklahoma Metropolis Barons farm group.

Nugent-Hopkins wants to create some muscle, as well, to his lean six-foot-one body.

???I??d want to be concerning 175 and 180. I don??t choose to place on a lot of bulk and lose some other aspects of my sport,?? claimed the 164-pound Burnaby, B.C., native, who scored 31 targets and seventy five assists in 69 Western Hockey League game titles last year or so together with the Red Deer Rebels.

???I imagine I??ve used more a mini vacation the ice this year simply because we went further to the playoffs and then there??s been quite a bit additional stuff happening. I??m just seeking ahead to acquiring back for the ice.??

OIL DROPS: Defenceman Richard Petiot(notes), who was simply from the Oilers organization previous period, is returning on the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Daysland native, a veteran of 308 American Hockey League video games, signed a one-year, two-way deal. Petiot played 11 games while using Lightning in 2008-09 and a couple with the Oilers very last year or so.