McDavid and Draisaitl Sidelined: What This Means for the Oilers
Big news coming out of Edmonton—Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the NHL’s top scorers, are both set to miss up to a week due to injuries. This is a huge moment for the Oilers as they enter a critical stretch of the season. The team will be without their two biggest stars when they face the Seattle Kraken, and potentially for the following two games against the Dallas Stars and the Kraken again. The next possible return date for them could be March 29, when the Oilers take on the Calgary Flames.
McDavid suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets. It’s not entirely clear when it happened, but he left the game after a brief shift late in the second period and did not return for the third. Meanwhile, Draisaitl picked up an undisclosed injury during Edmonton’s 7-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club earlier in the week. This marks the first time in their ten seasons together that both players have been injured at the same time.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch emphasized the importance of not rushing either player back, especially with the playoffs on the horizon. He made it clear that pushing injured players too soon is not an option, regardless of how crucial the games are. According to him, both McDavid and Draisaitl will be re-evaluated by the medical staff before determining their return timelines.
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Draisaitl currently sits second in the NHL scoring race with 101 points (49 goals, 52 assists) in 68 games, just behind Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. McDavid, on the other hand, ranks fourth with 90 points (26 goals, 64 assists) in 63 games. His injury comes at a tough time, as he was riding a 13-game point streak.
So, what does this mean for the Oilers? It’s clear no one can fully replace the impact of McDavid and Draisaitl, but this is an opportunity for other players to step up. Knoblauch mentioned that guys like Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, Mattias Janmark, and Kasperi Kapanen will need to take on bigger roles. Henrique, for example, has been averaging 14 minutes of ice time per game but was recently bumped up to 17 and a half minutes. The Oilers will be relying on that kind of increased contribution to keep their playoff momentum going.
As of now, Edmonton sits second in the Pacific Division, three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. Every game counts at this stage of the season, and missing their two top stars will be a real test for the team. If the Oilers can stay competitive without them, it’ll be a sign of their depth and resilience heading into the playoffs.
The big question remains: how long will McDavid and Draisaitl actually be out? Knoblauch hinted that if this were the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they might not be playing through these injuries. That suggests Edmonton is taking a cautious approach, hoping to have both players fully healthy when it matters most.
For now, Oilers fans will have to wait and see how the team performs in their absence. Will they rise to the challenge, or will this setback hurt their push for the top of the division? Either way, all eyes will be on Edmonton as they navigate this tough stretch without their two biggest superstars.
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