Playoffs nhl has already put Edmonton in a familiar spotlight, but the biggest question on the eve of Game 1 is not the opponent. It is Leon Draisaitl. After missing the final 14 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury, the Oilers forward looked increasingly prepared in practice Sunday, creating the strongest indication yet that he could return against the Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Place on Monday night.
Practice trends point toward a possible Game 1 return
Draisaitl’s skating Sunday suggested he was moving toward a return, though he stopped short of declaring himself in. He said he felt good, but added that the final decision would depend on how he felt the next day. That cautious tone matters because the Oilers have not officially confirmed his status for Game 1, even while coach Kris Knoblauch said Draisaitl would be available sometime in Round 1.
The forward has not played since the March 15 game against the Nashville Predators, when he sustained the injury in Edmonton’s 3-1 win. He returned for two shifts in that game but did not continue, and the club later said he would miss the rest of the regular season. Since April 13, he has been back on the ice with the team. For a player who finished fourth in NHL scoring with 97 points in 65 games, that kind of return path carries obvious importance in playoffs nhl, where depth and timing often matter as much as raw talent.
Why Draisaitl’s status changes Edmonton’s margin
The Oilers are trying to begin another long postseason run after falling in the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. They finished 41-30-11, second in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of Anaheim. In that context, Draisaitl’s potential return is more than a lineup note; it reshapes Edmonton’s ceiling from the opening faceoff.
At practice Sunday, Draisaitl skated on a line with Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, and he also returned to his usual spot on the top power-play unit. That detail matters because it signals that Edmonton is not merely testing his legs, but considering him in the roles that define its attack. Connor McDavid called the situation “really positive, ” noting that losing Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson meant the team missed two top-nine pieces. In playoffs nhl, that kind of return can influence matchups, special teams, and the game’s emotional pace.
Medical caution remains part of the equation
Knoblauch kept the decision open, saying Draisaitl had been trending well and had participated in several practices, but that the final call would come after a meeting with the medical staff. Dickinson, who also returned to practice Sunday after missing time with a lower-body injury, had not yet been cleared either. The team’s tone suggests restraint rather than urgency, even with the postseason starting.
Draisaitl himself spoke like a player still balancing readiness and caution. He said it can take a couple of games to feel like himself again, while also describing the playoffs as the best time of year. That combination of confidence and patience is revealing. Edmonton appears to believe he is close, but not in a way that invites certainty before the medical review is complete.
What the Oilers gain if he plays
The broader impact goes beyond one roster spot. Draisaitl and McDavid led the NHL in playoff scoring last season, each with 33 points in 22 games, and they remain the highest-scoring players in the playoffs over the past four seasons. Edmonton has now played 79 playoff games over the past five springs, and that experience gives the team a clear advantage over a Ducks club reaching the postseason for the first time in eight seasons.
McDavid said the group knows what to expect in this environment, including the pressure swings and intensity that define the postseason. That insight becomes even more valuable if Draisaitl is available to anchor the top line and power play. In a series where one team brings proven playoff habits and the other arrives with fresh energy, the Oilers’ opening edge may depend on whether their injured star can turn practice momentum into game-night impact.
If Draisaitl does go, it may not be at full rhythm immediately. But in playoffs nhl, a player of his caliber does not need long to alter the feel of a game. The real question now is whether Edmonton chooses caution or leverage when the puck drops Monday night.
