Leon Draisaitl injury against San Jose Sharks
(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Leon Draisaitl left Thursday’s game against the Sharks with an undisclosed injury
  • The NHL’s leading goal scorer appeared to get hurt after stepping on a puck
  • Read below for video and details of Draisaitl’s injury, plus what it means for the Oilers’ playoff hopes

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, but they lost Leon Draisaitl to injury in the process.

Draisaitl, the NHL’s leading goal scorer with 52 goals this season, left Thursday’s game against the Sharks with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

The star center exited midway through the second period after moving gingerly to the bench before heading to the locker room with head athletic trainer T.D. Forss.

The Oilers later confirmed that Draisaitl, who picked up an assist earlier in the period, would not return to the game. Edmonton managed to secure a 3-2 victory despite his absence, with Jeff Skinner scoring the tie-breaking goal.

Several social media posts show Draisaitl may have suffered the injury after stepping on a puck. Video footage shows him taking a couple of awkward falls earlier in the game before the final sequence that sent him to the dressing room. Fans on social media pointed out an uncalled tripping penalty that caused him to land awkwardly on his elbow in the first period.

Bob Stauffer suggested it might be a core issue unrelated to Draisaitl’s previous injury, which sidelined him for four games in March. The 29-year-old center had only recently returned to action on March 29 against the Calgary Flames after missing time with that undisclosed ailment.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the Oilers, who are already without captain Connor McDavid. McDavid has been sidelined since March 20, leaving Edmonton without its two superstar centers as the playoffs approach.

Despite the injury concerns, Edmonton’s win kept them within two points of the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division. With only seven games left in the regular season, the Oilers are battling for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Draisaitl has been dominant once again this season, amassing 106 points with 52 goals and 54 assists in 71 games. His durability has been a hallmark throughout his career. Most notably, Leon played through a high ankle sprain during the 2022 playoffs – a testament to what coach Kris Knoblauch has often called his “battler” mentality.

The Oilers have 7 games left, and now McDavid, Draisaitl, Mattiahas Ekholm, Stuart Skinner, Evander Kane, and Trent Frederic are all injured. Edmonton supporters are understandably getting concerned about how healthy the team will be for the playoffs.

There was a small silver lining for worried Oilers fans, though, as reports indicate Frederic is “almost ready to return”, possibly by Monday’s game against the Ducks. McDavid, meanwhile, is expected back before the end of the regular season.

The team has not yet provided details on the severity of Draisaitl’s injury or a timeline for his return. Coach Kris Knobluach said he will know more on Friday following a medical evaluation.