Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Teases Return To Full-CCM

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been a constant in Edmonton for a long time now, and not just because he’s in the middle of his fifteenth NHL season. The former first overall pick has quietly built a respected resume on the Oilers roster, evolving from a highly skilled young center into a trusted, do-it-all veteran who can be deployed in multiple situations.

For hockey equipment enthusiasts, however, Nugent-Hopkins has also been a fascinating player to follow. Especially when it comes to his long, winding relationship with CCM Hockey.

For the first six seasons of his NHL career, Nugent-Hopkins was synonymous with CCM. Coming into the league in 2011, he quickly became one of the brand’s most visible athletes.

He promoted CCM’s U+ CL line during an era when lightweight, tapered sticks were rapidly changing the game. Later, he transitioned seamlessly into the Tacks family, continuing to serve as a high-profile ambassador for the brand.

As a former first overall pick playing in one of the most hockey-obsessed markets in the world, RNH was exactly the kind of player CCM wanted for marketing purposes.

Then came the fall of 2017, and with it, a noticeable shift.

As the 2017–18 NHL season began, Nugent-Hopkins surprised the equipment world by switching to Bauer sticks. The change was hard to miss, as he was frequently seen using and promoting Bauer’s Nexus line.

Roughly a year later, he added Bauer skates to the mix, signaling that this was more than just a casual experiment. By the start of the 2019–20 season, Nugent-Hopkins had completed a full transition to Bauer, sporting a head-to-toe setup that included Bauer sticks, gloves, pants, helmet, and skates.

That full-Bauer look, however, didn’t last long.

Just a few months into 2020, CCM branding began to reappear on Nugent-Hopkins’ gear. Over the next several seasons, he settled into a familiar pattern of mostly CCM equipment, with one notable exception.

For reasons that were never fully explained, he developed a clear preference for Bauer’s Re-Akt 150 helmet. Even as he returned to CCM sticks, gloves, pants, and skates, the Bauer bucket remained firmly in place, becoming a defining quirk of his equipment setup.

That status quo held steady for three to four seasons, until the start of the current campaign.

To the surprise of many, Nugent-Hopkins opened the season using Warrior hockey sticks, immediately sparking speculation about a potential full switch to Warrior. For diehard Warrior fans, hopes were high. But while the stick change was real, the full transition never materialized.

Instead, what followed ended up being a nice hint of nostalgia.

On January 22nd, in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nugent-Hopkins was spotted using CCM’s brand-new 2026 Vizion stick. The sight alone was enough to turn heads, as the Vizion line represents CCM’s latest push into cutting-edge stick technology.

Just days later, he added fuel to the fire by showing up to a team morning skate wearing CCM’s Super Tacks X helmet, a model he has actually never been seen wearing.

For equipment followers, it was a genuine “wait, what?” moment. Seeing RNH in a CCM helmet again felt like a throwback to his early Edmonton days, when CCM branding was part of his on-ice identity.

While he hasn’t worn the Super Tacks X helmet in a game since that skate, the Vizion stick has remained in his rotation, suggesting that this wasn’t just a one-off appearance.

Whether Nugent-Hopkins ultimately makes a full return to all-visible CCM equipment remains to be seen. But given his recent activity, testing CCM’s newest stick tech and briefly revisiting their helmet lineup, it’s hard to believe the idea hasn’t crossed his mind.

For now, fans and gear watchers alike will be paying close attention. Sometimes, in a league obsessed with what’s new, a little nostalgia can be just as exciting.

Photo Credit: Edmonton Oilers