EDMONTON — Leon Draisaitl's drive for 50 goals will have to wait.
Draisaitl was out of the lineup for the Edmonton Oilers' matchup against the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said earlier Thursday that the star forward was doubtful as Edmonton pushes for top spot in the Pacific Division.
Draisaitl sustained an undisclosed injury in Edmonton's 7-1 win over Utah on Tuesday and is considered "game-to-game."
Knoblauch says it's better to give star players some rest so injuries don't linger with the playoffs right around the corner.
"Leon is doubtful to play tonight, and we'll treat this as day to day," Knoblauch said after the team's optional morning skate.
"We'll need guys obviously stepping up with Leon's absence."
Knoblauch said the team is "definitely being cautious" with Draisaitl, who leads the league with 49 goals and the Oilers with 101 points.
"We're hitting the near the end of the regular season, hitting the playoffs," Knoblauch said. "We want 100 per cent from Leon when he's healthy. And this is something we do not want to linger, same thing we treated (recently returned defenceman Mattias) Ekholm.
"We feel that this is something that (Draisaitl) probably could play through. Maybe it's not an issue, we certainly don't want it to be an issue for the long term. So this is definitely the right play, we believe."
It's a measured move from a team trying to secure home-ice advantage in the playoffs. The consensus, though, is that Draisaitl's health matters more.
"Leon has played through so much, he's a battler. So it's not too often that he comes out lineup. We're just being cautious here," Knoblauch said.
With Draisaitl likely out, Knoblauch said he would juggle his lines outside his top unit of Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and Jeff Skinner.
That could mean a hit to Edmonton's recent improvement in depth scoring, particularly from the line of Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin centred by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2025.
Caprice St. Pierre, The Canadian Press
