Talk about terrible timing. The Edmonton Oilers will lose one of their superstar players, Leon Draisaitl, for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season. He sustained a lower-body injury in the first period against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. The Oilers did not reveal what exactly his injury was, but Oilers reporter Mark Spector mentioned that it could be a knee injury.
Credit Image: © Alex Cave/ZUMA Press Wire
Leon Draisaitl Hurt At The Worst Time For the Oilers
With the Oilers not safe by any stretch in the Stanley Cup Playoff race in the Western Conference, this injury comes at a bad time. They currently sit in third place in the Pacific Division, four points ahead of the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings. Draisaitl had recorded 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 65 games this season. He is an excellent playmaker and sniper, and also the Oilers’ best player on the faceoff dot this season. He ranks seventh in the league in the number of faceoffs won this season with 628. Furthermore, he has a 56.9% win percentage on the draws.
Let's see who this year's Edmonton Oilers really are.
If they’re good enough to survive the next five weeks without Leon Draisaitl, maybe they’re good enough to be a Stanley Cup contender once again. (@SportsnetSpec) https://t.co/ZjYCugo0v5
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 17, 2026
Needless to say, the centre depth of the Oilers will be tested here. Adam Henrique returned from injury on March 12th, and he can play on the third or fourth-line centre position. Josh Samanski was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis on March 8th. Consequently, he will likely need to stay in the lineup now that Draisaitl is out. The Oilers will also need to depart from relying on their two best players and play a more balanced game.
How Will The Oilers Respond?
Top players Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins commented on losing their teammate to injury. “It’s the old cliché: Everyone is going to have to be better,” said McDavid. “We’ve got to find ways to win games without him,” Nugent-Hopkins commented.
With the Oilers continuing to be in the “cup-or-bust” era of their team, they will need to show what they are made of. They may not be able to outscore their defensive issues anymore without Draisaitl. Certainly, Connor McDavid will carry the offensive charge in his absence. However, as they are 27th in the league in goals-against per game at 3.37, their defence will need to improve if they want to make the playoffs.
Main Photo: Perry Nelson – Imagn Images
