NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has provided an update on the injury status of Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl ahead of the team’s 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken.
Speaking on Sportsnet’s Saturday Headlines, Friedman reported that neither player is expected to miss any playoff action. “The current belief is that these injuries are not long-term concerns that would jeopardize their availability for the postseason,” Friedman said. “As of now, it seems that Leon Draisaitl is on a slightly faster recovery timeline than Connor McDavid. But I’ve been cautioned that McDavid has beaten recovery estimates in the past.”
McDavid sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday’s overtime loss to the Jets after a collision with Josh Morrissey, forcing him to miss the third period. Draisaitl, meanwhile, was already sidelined for that game after suffering an injury two nights earlier during a 7-1 victory over Utah and has now missed two consecutive games.
According to The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman, Saturday’s game marked the first time both players missed a game due to injury on the same night since becoming teammates in 2015.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch stated Friday that both players are likely “about a week” away from returning. He confirmed that McDavid and Draisaitl have undergone MRIs and stressed that the team will not rush their return. “Even if it was Game 5 or 6 of a playoff series, we wouldn’t risk putting someone in a situation where they could worsen a lingering injury,” Knoblauch said.
McDavid has recorded 90 points (26 goals, 64 assists) in 63 games this season, while Draisaitl leads the league with 49 goals and ranks second in scoring with 101 points (52 assists) in 68 games.
The Oilers, with a record of 41-24-5 and 87 points, currently sit second in the Pacific Division, trailing the Vegas Golden Knights by three points, although they have played one more game than the division leaders.
