The Edmonton Oilers have 14 games remaining in their 2025-26 NHL regular season and currently sit third in the Pacific Division standings. They are in a playoff spot for now but have teams gaining on them and will need to continue to play at a high level.
That is why when star forward Leon Draisaitl left the game after taking a hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt against the Nashville Predators early on Sunday night, it caused some real panic inside the Oilers fandom.
Draisaitl suffers lower body injury
Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch was unable to provide a concrete update on Draisaitl after practice on Monday, stating that he was seeing a doctor and so there was no update on the status of his injury, yet.
It is not expected to be long-term as Dr. Harjas Grewal pointed out on X (formerly Twitter).
Wonder if there’s a possible right hip pointer for Draisaitl when he hit the boards. Hockey pants don’t have much padding on the side. Pain is main issue. Likely day-to-day
— Dr. Harjas Grewal (@Harjas_Grewal) March 16, 2026
Some shoulder to shoulder contact so maybe a separated shoulder but don’t really think so https://t.co/mybkzG64M3
Grewal recently famously accurately predicted Sidney Crosby's injury that he suffered at the Olympics.
Here, he estimates that Draisaitl may have suffered a possible hip pointer from the hit saying; "Wonder if there’s a possible right hip pointer for Draisaitl when he hit the boards. Hockey pants don’t have much padding on the side. Pain is main issue. Likely day-to-day"
Now the Oilers fandom can breathe a collective sigh of relief. However, fans should still wait for an official announcement but this at least provides some comfort for now.
Alberta set to host world cup
International best-on-best hockey is set to return once again. Less than a month after the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics concluded with NHL players attending for the first time since 2014, the NHL and NHLPA has made a huge announcement for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
At the GM meetings, NHL comissioner Gary Bettman announced that the World Cup of Hockey will be playeed in three cities; Prague, Czechia as well as Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. This is huge for the sport, for international hockey, and for Alberta as a whole.
It will allow the fans at Rogers Place to see Oilers' captain Connor McDavid don the red and white Maple Leaf on his chest.
Oilers NCAA free agent rumours
Over the past few days, there have been a number of interesting free agent rumours, especially as the NCAA free agent market heats up.
While speaking on the Sekeres and Price podcast, NHL insider Jeff Marek revealed that the Oilers had scouts attending NCAA hockey to see the University of Michigan. The player who is hinted to be targetted is Michigan standiut forward T.J. Hughes. He is a highly touted NCAA free agent and would be a great fit for the Oilers.
The Oilers have lost out on another highly touted target, Alberta native Tyson Gross, who signed an entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames. It is expected that Oilers general manager Stan Bowman will look to supplement the club's pool with free agent signings and this season should be no different.