EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers have taken another step in locking up their young core by signing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to a seven-year contract. Nugent-Hopkins got US$42 million, the same amount the Oilers gave Taylor Hall on his seven-year deal. The $6-million cap hit is also the same as Jordan Eberles, making for uniformity among Edmontons top young forwards. "We felt when we did the contracts with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, that at that point we knew wed be doing a very similar, if not identical, contract to what we did with those players," Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish told reporters. "This is just a reflection of how highly we hold Ryan within our organization." Nugent-Hopkins underwent surgery on his left shoulder April 23 to repair a torn labrum. Hes currently skating but has been non-commital about being ready in time for the start of the NHL season. But that doesnt concern MacTavish. "During the term of this contract I feel very strongly hes going to outperform the number on the contract," he said. "I dont know when thats going to happen but I anticipate it will happen pretty soon during the length of this contract." Predictably, Nugent-Hopkins is very pleased to have the deal done. His extension starts in the 2014-15 season. "I definitely want to come back and play my best whenever I am ready to play," he said. "Im just happy to be here, to be locked up for the next so many years. "Its going to be great." Nugent-Hopkins downplayed the significance of his cap hit being the same as Halls and Eberles. "I dont think any of us really worried about it too much," he said. "Once you get on the ice you kind of forget about all that stuff and you just want to go out there and play and perform the best for the team. "Obviously having all three of us the same is not going to cause any problems even though it wouldnt anyway. Its definitely exciting for all of us." But Nugent-Hopkins said his first goal is to get to the point physically where he can play. "Obviously my first priority is getting healthy and making sure that Im ready to play," he said. "Getting the contract done now is definitely a positive thing. "Its something I dont have to worry about and something thats not on my mind, not even a little bit. I just want to get back healthy and get back to playing." MacTavish said he never approached Hall and/or Eberle during his contract talks with Nugent-Hopkins. Nugent-Hopkins, the first pick in the 2011 draft, has 22 goals and 54 assists in 102 career NHL games. He had four goals and 20 points in 40 games last season. "I thought last year I definitely didnt put up the points that I wanted to," he said. "I thought I made some steps in my defensive zones. "I want to put everything together this year and make sure I have a great year." MacTavish said the organization has no concerns about Nugent-Hopkins shoulder. "No, zero," he said. "Weve had lots of success with that procedure in the past. "His surgery is solid and theres a good history to lead us to believe and have every confidence that there wont be a problem going forward." The Oilers have just over $41 million of salary-cap commitments to 10 players for next season. That does not include a new deal for defenceman Justin Schultz. But Edmontons priority during its youth movement has been cultivating young forwards. Nugent-Hopkins was the second of three straight No. 1 picks, sandwiched between Hall in 2010 and Nail Yakupov in 2012. Yakupov has two seasons left on his entry-level contract. In addition to Nugent-Hopkins, Hall and Eberle, the Oilers signed centre Sam Gagner to a $14.4-million, three-year contract during the off-season. And they acquired winger David Perron in a trade with the St. Louis Blues to provide some more experience. MacTavish said Nugent-Hopkins extension contains a no-trade clause -- sort of. "Ive asked Ryan to never ask for a trade through the term of this contract," he said. "Thats our no-trade. "He has promised me that he wont ask for one, thats important for us. I dont anticipate anything happening, obviously. Its our objective as an organization to make this experience so rewarding for everybody that they wouldnt want to leave, much like it was many years ago where Edmonton really was where everybody wanted to play." Jim Leyland Jersey .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday. Kirk Gibson Jersey . Venable and Jeremy Hermida drove in three runs apiece, and the Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 7-2 on Sunday to snap a nine-game losing streak. https://www.cheaptigers.com/799z-gates-brown-jersey-tigers.html .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Schoolboy Rowe Jersey . The 31-year-old, a two-time CFL lineman of the year, was among the most coveted free agents on the market. The Windsor, Ont., native will be especially important to a team that has lost veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo to retirement and is expected to go with the less experienced Troy Smith and Tanner Marsh this season. Tigers Jerseys China . Not that he was complaining. Davis had 13 points, nine rebounds and a career-high eight blocks, and the New Orleans Pelicans emphatically snapped a three-game skid with a 135-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Lowry totaled 21 points, 11 assists and six steals as the Toronto Raptors outlasted the New York Knicks in overtime, 95-90, in a seesaw battle at Madison Square Garden. The matchup between the Atlantic Division leaders and the five-win Knicks was surprisingly tight as neither team led by more than seven points. There were 12 leads changes and 21 ties, but Toronto controlled play in overtime as New York missed its first seven shots. Terrence Ross finished with 22 points, while Lou Williams and Patrick Patterson contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively off the bench for Toronto, which improved to 5-3 without star guard DeMar DeRozan. Carmelo Anthony paced the Knicks with 34 points, but New York failed to build off Fridays victory over the Celtics. A Ross floater in the lane broke an 84-84 tie with 2:38 left in regulation, and after a series of empty possessions, Anthony missed a contested 19-footer from the right wing. After Lowry hit iron on a 3-point try inside the final minute, Anthony did the same from the top of the key. Toronto, though, knocked the rebound out of bounds, and Anthony took Patterson to the hole and put in a left-handed layup with 28.7 ticks left. Lou Williams dribbled away most of the 24-ssecond clock and was long on a 3- point try, but Patterson grabbed the rebound and Toronto called timeout with 2.dddddddddddd7 on the clock. Lowry drove left on the final possession of regulation and missed everything on his off-balanced baseline jumper. Patterson drained a 3-pointer on Torontos first touch in OT, and Lowry added a jumper the next time down. After Stoudemire split a pair at the foul line for the second time in the extra session, Lowry and Amir Johnson scored on back-to-back possessions for a 95-88 lead, and Toronto held on from there. It was knotted at 27-all heading into the second quarter and another back-and- forth frame ended with Quincy Acy tossing a length-of-the-floor pass to Jose Calderon for a buzzer-beating layup that gave New York a 46-45 lead. Ross 13 third-quarter points helped Toronto take a 72-67 advantage into the final quarter, but a Shane Larkin 3-pointer evened things at 74-74 less than three minutes in. Game Notes Lowry committed nine of Torontos 24 turnovers ... The Knicks gave it away 25 times ... Toronto came in averaging 108.4 points per game ... New York has dropped five in a row at home ... The Knicks were without guards J.R. Smith (foot) and Iman Shumpert (shoulder dislocation). ' ' '