Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Leon Draisaitl has Kris Knoblauch back on lineup watch, and that changes the Oilers’ week in a hurry.
A Sunday report pointed to Draisaitl returning to Edmonton this week.
That is not the same as a lineup lock, but it puts the whole bench right back on return watch.
That swing matters because the official tone on March 18 was much colder.
Edmonton had said Draisaitl was expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
Now the conversation shifts from shutdown mode to timing.
For a club trying to steady itself before the playoffs, that is a huge change in how Knoblauch can map out the next few days.
Had the translation of this confirmed by a trusted German source. Sounds like Draisaitl will be back in EDM this week. https://t.co/I58DYqqIP8 pic.twitter.com/uMBKl0QouG– Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) March 22, 2026
This is not a depth piece coming back.
Draisaitl has 35 goals and 62 assists in 65 games, and Edmonton’s entire attack feels different when No. 29 is on the ice.
He also leaves a giant hole on special teams. Draisaitl leads Edmonton with 16 power-play goals and sits second in the NHL with 42 power-play points.
Knoblauch already framed life without him as trial and error.
The coach was juggling centers and searching for the right fit around Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard.
Why this changes Edmonton’s week
A return to Edmonton does not guarantee an immediate game.
It does mean the Oilers can start thinking about medical clearance, skates, and whether he needs a short ramp-up before puck drop.
That matters in the standings. Edmonton is 34-26-9 and tied for first in the Pacific, so every lineup call from here carries real weight.
It matters in the room too.
Draisaitl’s half-wall touches, faceoff work, and the way he settles the top six are not things you patch over for long.
There is also the pressure of timing this the right way.
If Knoblauch gets him back for even a short stretch, Edmonton can clean up roles before the games get tighter.
And this is still a franchise pillar.
Draisaitl carries a 14 000 000 cap hit, and Stan Bowman already said the belief is that he can return at the end of the regular season because surgery is not needed.
That is why this update lands so hard.
A few days ago it felt like Edmonton was bracing for the long haul; now the Oilers have a real chance to get one of their most dangerous finisher back before the table is fully set.
Previously on Edmonton Hockey Daily
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