The Edmonton Oilers received a timely boost amid concern over Leon Draisaitl’s injury, with signs pointing to a possible return before the playoffs. The update offers hope as the team continues its push near the top of the Pacific Division.

It comes a day after the Oilers confirmed the star forward would miss the remainder of the regular season due to a lower-body injury. Draisaitl was hurt during a March 15 win over the Nashville Predators and finished the campaign with 35 goals and 97 points in 65 games.

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NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman shared that Oilers GM Stan Bowman provided a positive outlook. “If everything goes as scheduled, he should be back at end of the regular season,” Friedman posted on X, adding that Draisaitl “does not need surgery.”

MORE: Oilers coach remains confident despite Edmonton’s injury crisis

Head coach Kris Knoblauch struck a cautious tone after the 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks.

“Right now the timeline we’re using is the end of the regular season, and once the playoffs start then we’ll re-evaluate,” Knoblauch said. “But it’s… yeah, that’s where we’re at.”

Despite the uncertainty, the Oilers remain competitive with a 34-26-9 record. They sit tied for first in the division, showing resilience even without one of the league’s top scorers.

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Oilers admit Leon Draisaitl’s importance to Edmonton’s offense

Inside the Oilers’ locker room, players understand the challenge ahead without Draisaitl.

“It’s not like one guy can just step into his shoes,” Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “It’s a collective thing … everybody’s going to need to pick up the slack.”

Even Knoblauch knows it’s hard to replace Draisaitl’s offense.

“No one’s going to replace Leon,” Knoblauch said. “That’s never going to happen, but everyone collectively needs to be a little bit better.”

Draisaitl’s absence also affects Edmonton’s power play, where he was a key contributor. Knoblauch admitted the team will adjust through “trial and error” as they search for the right combinations.

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For now, the Oilers balance caution with optimism. If Bowman’s timeline holds, Draisaitl’s return could arrive just in time to shape Edmonton’s playoff run.

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