NHL Trade Talk Roundup: Oilers, Ovechkin, NHL Expansion

In our NHL Trade Talk morning roundup, the Edmonton Oilers are dealing with some injury issues, but are they truly concerned? A recent update might suggest there is a reason to worry a little. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin scored goal 888 on Thursday, putting him within seven of the record. Finally, is the NHL looking at expansion? If so, how many teams will be in the league by the time they go through the process?

Oilers McDavid and Draisaitl Set For Imaging

As per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli: “Sounds like Oilers have imaging scheduled today for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to better understand severity of injuries and timelines to return to play.” This is a bit of a concerning update for Oilers fans after it was reported by Ryan Rishaug that the injuries weren’t likely serious ones.

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Rishaug had noted that if Thursday’s game had been a playoff game, Draisaitl likely would have played. For McDavid, Rishaug said he was standing around after the game and didn’t look too bad. The imaging could just be precautionary and for information purposes. Obviously, the Oilers are hoping nothing serious comes out of it.

McDavid’s ribs would likely be the issue after taking a cross-check in the second period versus the Jets. It’s not clear what the issue is for Draisaitl. Prior to the game, he was deemed as “banged up” which is why he was sitting.

Ovechkin Needs Just 7 More Goals

Alex Ovechkin scored his 888th goal on Thursday to move within seven goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894. The Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2, and Ovechkin now sits with 35 goals in 53 games this season. He has 13 in his past 19 games.

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It looks like Ovechkin’s path to the record this season will be tight. He has 13 games remaining to score the seven he needs. The assumption is that Ovechkin will be motivated, and the Caps will be helping as much as possible to see him get there. They’ve already clinched a playoff spot, which was their main objective. If he breaks the record, it’s a cherry on top of an already incredible and somewhat surprising season.

NHL Expansion Coming

Elliotte Friedman reported in his recent 32 Thoughts that “The NHL has indicated to the Player’s Association that expansion is coming; we just don’t know the timetable yet.” This comes as Kevin Weekes posted on social media that 34 teams in the NHL seem like a given, with enough interest for 36 teams to be a real possibility.

As for the cost to each new team, “$2 billion per team, maybe a little bit less”, suggested Friedman.

Next: McDavid, Draisaitl Injury Updates: Oilers Will Be Extra Cautious