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Nugent-Hopkins says shoulder feels good, but still needs time to heal

Calgary Flames v Edmonton Oilers

EDMONTON, AB - APRIL 01: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Calgary Flames at Rexall Place on April 1, 2013 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Perry Nelson/Getty Images)

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Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins says his shoulder is “feeling good” after undergoing surgery on April 23; however, he’ll probably be wearing a yellow no-contact jersey to start training camp.

“It feels good right now but I know it’s got to heal,” Nugent-Hopkins said, per the club’s website. “I’ll let it do its thing and I’ve got to get my strength back. So there’s going to be lots of discussions with the doctor and the medical staff over the next few weeks. Just got to make sure it’s 100 percent before I go out there.”

The 20-year-old former first overall pick also said he’s “put on a few pounds” and is currently tipping the scales at between 180 and 185 pounds.

In addition, he’s been working on his shot this offseason, with good results.

“My shot feels great,” he said. “It feels probably a little bit better than last year even.”

For now, though, he can’t say if he’ll be ready for Edmonton’s season-opener versus Winnipeg on Oct. 1.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I guess time will tell but we’ll see how the next month goes and talk with doctors and go from there.

“Everybody’s going to be a little bit cautious. It’s important to make sure that it’s going to be good for the rest of my career and make sure that it’s at 100 percent at the start of the fall.”

Related: They said Nugent-Hopkins would get hurt — and so far, they’ve sort of been right