Over the past week, the Edmonton Oilers have lost two of the NHL’s most dynamic offensive players, as both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sidelined with injuries. McDavid sustained a lower-body injury during the second period of a 4-3 overtime defeat to the Winnipeg Jets on March 20, while Draisaitl suffered an undisclosed injury in a 7-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on March 18. With 12 games remaining, the Oilers are currently tied with the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch indicated on Tuesday that neither player is expected to return soon. “They’re going to be still a while,” Knoblauch told NHL.com after practice. “We’ll be playing a couple of games without them, at least. It’s good for those other guys that they know they’re going to get some more playing time.” Saturday’s game marked the first time since McDavid’s rookie season in 2015-16 that both he and Draisaitl were unavailable due to injury in the same game.
This season, Draisaitl and McDavid rank second and fourth in NHL scoring, respectively. Draisaitl has amassed 101 points (49 goals, 52 assists) in 68 games, while McDavid has recorded 90 points (26 goals, 64 assists) in 63 games. Draisaitl’s impressive 18-game point streak (27 points; 14 goals, 13 assists) ended in the win over Utah, a game in which he logged 22:23 of ice time, the most among forwards.
Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who notched a hat trick on Saturday, acknowledged the impact of their absence. “I think everybody feels it,” he said. “It’s a chance for everybody to step up, play their game, and maybe take on a slightly different role. Losing two of the best players in the game means we all need to elevate our play and stay sharp. The way we’ve been playing lately is starting to align with how we want to perform in the playoffs—being tough to play against, limiting easy opportunities for opponents, and generating offense through strong defensive play.”
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