The Edmonton Oilers will have two familiar faces in the fold when the host Detroit this evening.
Defenseman Mark Fistric (elbow) and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (groin) are back with the club after missing extended time with their respective injuries.
While it’s unclear if either will suit up against Detroit tonight, their returns are welcome developments as the Oilers look to rebound from a massive nine-game road trip that saw them go 3-4-2.
Most eyes will be on Khabibulin, as the 40-year-old netminder could pop up on a few radars by the Apr. 3 trade deadline.
Veteran goalies are hard to come by in the current market and, despite his groin issue, Khabibulin has posted stellar numbers this year (2-2-1, 2.11 GAA, .935 save percentage) and could be a target for teams looking to add depth in net.
Khabibulin recently told the Edmonton Journal his groin injury wasn’t a byproduct of old age, but rather the position he plays.
“[Dallas’ Kari] Lehtonen’s had them and he’s only 28,” he said. “I had groin pulls at 26, 30, 35. It’s the most common thing for goalies.”