▁a ▁three - year ▁N HL ▁entry ▁level ▁contract . ▁ ▁He ▁played ▁his ▁first ▁game ▁for ▁the ▁O ilers ▁in ▁the ▁team ' s ▁first ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 1 2 ▁season ▁on ▁October ▁ 9 , ▁a ▁shoot out ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁P engu ins . ▁N ug ent - H op kins ▁scored ▁the ▁game - ty ing ▁goal ▁with ▁less ▁than ▁five ▁minutes ▁remaining ▁against ▁Br ent ▁Johnson ▁for ▁the ▁only ▁O ilers ▁t ally ▁in ▁reg ulation . ▁He ▁also ▁blocked ▁two ▁sh ots ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁game ' s ▁third ▁star ▁by ▁sport sw rit ers ▁and ▁broad c aster s . ▁In ▁his ▁third ▁N HL ▁game , ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁scored ▁his ▁first ▁N HL ▁hat - tr ick ▁in ▁a ▁losing ▁cause ▁against ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Can uck s , ▁setting ▁a ▁new ▁N HL ▁record ▁for ▁the ▁earliest ▁career ▁hat ▁trick ▁for ▁a ▁first ▁overall ▁pick . ▁He ▁also ▁set ▁a ▁new ▁O ilers ▁record ▁for ▁the ▁earliest ▁career ▁hat ▁trick ▁in ▁few est ▁career ▁games , ▁breaking ▁G ord ▁Sher ven ' s ▁record ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁two ▁games . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Hop kins ▁was ▁named ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Month ▁for ▁October . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁it