The Edmonton Oilers have been rolling with the punches late in the regular season, with injuries to Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl arresting momentum. With the playoffs on the horizon, the Oilers will need all the help they can get, especially in a division that includes the high-flying Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild.
Luckily, Draisaitl was back on the ice on Wednesday, giving the Oilers a major boost just ahead of Game 1.
Leon Draisaitl Spotted Skating in a Massive Boost to the Edmonton Oilers
Draisaitl last appeared against the Nashville Predators on March 15 and has been out ever since with a lower-body injury.
The German ace had 97 points in 65 games and continues to feature among the top 10 highest-scoring skaters despite a prolonged period of injury-induced inactivity. Until March 15, Draisaitl was on a nine-game point streak.
Draisaitl is, of course, irreplaceable for a team looking to make a deep postseason run. Fortunately, head coach Kris Knoblauch expects the center to be back during the first round itself.
Draisaitl was spotted skating in all his glory, wearing a grey jersey. The sight of a rejuvenated Draisaitl will provide a massive boost to the Oilers community ahead of the playoffs.
While Draisaitl won’t suit up against the Vancouver Canucks, Hyman is expected to be back for the Oilers’ final regulation game on Thursday night.
In a recent episode of the “Jason Gregor Show”, Mark Spector stated that he believes Draisaitl will be back for Game 3.
The Oilers have fared all right without the 30-year-old before, and could theoretically do so during a couple of playoff games as well, especially if Hyman returns.
However, given the intensity of postseason games and the small margin for error, the longer Draisaitl remains out of the lineup, the worse it could get for the Oilers. The center is one of Knoblauch’s key assets, who has racked up 141 points in 96 playoff games.
Moreover, the absence of forward Jason Dickinson only compounds the problem.
Dickinson was a major win for GM Stan Bowman at the deadline. The 30-year-old is a reliable third-line center who has added much-needed depth to the roster.
Dickinson is currently sidelined with a leg injury from a blocked shot during the Oilers’ win over the San Jose Sharks.
Of course, who Edmonton faces in the first round of the playoffs will also play a role in how the team fares with key players out of the lineup for the first couple of games.
As things stand, the Anaheim Ducks appear to be the Oilers’ most likely opponent. The teams have met three times this regular season, and Edmonton has won two of those games.
The Oilers will have a significant advantage over the Ducks, given the latter’s playoff inexperience. Anaheim last qualified for the postseason in 2018; meanwhile, Edmonton has emerged as a seasoned playoff contender.
There is also a slim chance that the Oilers face the LA Kings. The teams have clashed for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025, and Edmonton has emerged as the winner each time. There is no saying that McDavid and company will repeat history, but there is comfort in knowing that they stand an above-average chance against Los Angeles.
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