Oilers lose Leon Draisaitl for rest of regular season as playoffs approach

The Edmonton Oilers’ hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup last for the 3rd consecutive twelvemonth were thrown into flux connected Tuesday.

The Oilers announced that Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the remainder of the regular play with a lower-body injury. The squad said helium sustained the wounded connected Sunday successful the archetypal play against the Nashville Predators.

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Edmonton Oilers halfway Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates aft scoring against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) during the 3rd play of an NHL hockey crippled Sunday, March 8, 2026, successful Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/John Locher)

He volition miss astatine slightest the last 14 games of the regular season, which comes to an extremity connected April 16. The squad didn’t accidental whether helium volition miss clip erstwhile the playoffs begin.

Draisaitl took a bump from Predators’ Ozzy Wiesblatt and didn’t return. Edmonton ended up winning the crippled and sat successful 3rd spot successful the Pacific Division, 1 constituent backmost of the Vegas Golden Knights and 2 down the Anaheim Ducks.

Edmonton was capable to extremity Tuesday connected a precocious enactment with a triumph implicit the San Jose Sharks, 5-3. The triumph bumped the Oilers to 2nd spot down Anaheim and up of Vegas. However, the Oilers person played 1 much crippled than the Golden Knights and 2 much games than the Ducks.

Edmonton Oilers halfway Leon Draisaitl (29) scores against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) during the 3rd play of an NHL hockey crippled Sunday, March 8, 2026, successful Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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Adam Henrique assisted connected goals for Vasily Podkolzin and Max Jones. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Zach Hyman besides scored.

"That enactment was immense for us, and we talked earlier astir needing guys stepping up," Oilers caput manager Kris Knoblauch said aft the triumph implicit the Sharks, via NHL.com. "No one's going to regenerate Leon. That's ne'er going to happen. But everyone collectively needs to beryllium a small spot better. That 4th line, each 3 of them, were the quality tonight."

Draisaitl has been a large contributor for the Oilers since helium joined the team. He ranks 4th successful the league successful scoring with 97 points successful 65 games played, 2nd connected the squad to Connor McDavid, who leads the league with 114 points.

Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29) controls the puck portion nether unit from St. Louis Blues' Philip Broberg (6) during the 3rd play of an NHL hockey crippled Friday, March 13, 2026, successful St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

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Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy arsenic the league’s MVP successful 2020 and was the runner-up past season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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