EDMONTON – It’s harder to get a straight answer on an injury at this time of year than it is to score on Andrei Vasilevskiy. When it comes to Leon Draisaitl however, here is what we think we know:
His injured knee is well on the mend, and he appears to be within a very reasonable timeline of returning. It probably will not be in time for Game 1 of the playoffs, but watching him skate with the Oilers on Monday morning, he doesn’t look like a player who is two or three weeks away from playing in games.
“We’ll see,” the coy German said on Monday morning. “There are steps I have to follow and certain things I have to be able to do. I’m not there yet right now. We’ll see how that is by the end of the week or whenever Game 1 would be.”
Draisaitl owns a long and proven history of playing through pain and still producing at an elite level while limping through a playoff series. This, however, isn’t something he can play through if it isn’t fully healed.
“There are certain things you can play through and other things where you have to think about your future and the team’s future,” said Draisaitl, who is signed for seven more seasons. “I think our staff and medical staff and myself, we know how to handle this situation. When it’s good to go and when it’s not.”
Asked if Draisaitl could have played tonight against Colorado had it been a playoff game, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said, “It would be premature to say that he’d be healthy to play today.”
“He’s got some healing process to go through. Hopefully with some skates and the rehab treatments that he’s getting, he’s ready for us. Ideally it would be Game 1. If it’s Game 3 or 4, then so be it. We’re going to have to adjust,” Knoblauch added. “We know Leon will play through a lot of pain, and he wants to play in the (playoffs) more than anything, so there’s never a doubt about his will. We would love to have him for Game 1, but we’ll have to wait and find out.”
The injury, suffered on a hit by Nashville’s Ozzy Weisblatt on March 15, has cost Draisaitl a dozen games and any chance he had at notching a fifth 50-goal, 100-point campaign.
“I knew there was something wrong right away,” he said of the hit. “I’m not necessarily a player who goes off like that with every little pinch I feel. I feel this was something a little more serious.”
Injury Ward
The Oilers are pretty nicked up, with the playoffs set to start, likely next Sunday. Here are Knoblauch’s thoughts on the other injured Oilers forwards: Zach Hyman, Jason Dickinson and Max Jones.
“Hyman’s questionable for Thursday (against Vancouver),” he said. “Jones will be out three, four weeks. Dickinson, we can’t really have an exact timeline, but he will not be playing these next two games. We’ll re-evaluate after the regular season’s done.”
Draisaitl and Hyman skated with the team at Monday’s morning skate. Both looked close to ready for action.
With Dickinson unable to man his spot as Edmonton’s third-line centre – forming a pretty formidable look up the middle with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl centering the top two lines – the job will fall to impressive German rookie Josh Samanski, who has 22 games of NHL experience and another 45 in the American League.
“One’s been in the NHL for numerous years, one is a young guy coming in – but their style is very similar,” Knoblauch said. “If we’re missing Dickinson, Samanski would be the guy to take over that role.”
Speaking of injuries, the Oilers will face a soft Avalanche lineup Monday night.
Neither Cale Makar nor Josh Manson (both upper-body injuries) are expected to play on defence, while Nazem Kadri (broken finger) won’t play up front. Even coach Jared Bednar is staying at home in Denver, nursing a broken bone in his face and an eye abrasion after taking a puck in a game over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Brent Burns will play his 1,005th consecutive game Monday.
Oilers Like Ike
Ike Howard opens his third stint in Edmonton this season, called up from AHL Bakersfield with all the injuries among the Oilers’ forwards.
He’ll play left wing on the second line, with centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic on the right side.
“We wanted to add some speed to our lineup, and he has that. He’s playing with a couple offensive guys, and, hopefully, they can chip in offensively,” Knoblauch said. “Whether he’s been here in Edmonton or in Bakersfield, he’s been doing what the organization’s been asking him, playing some really good hockey.
“When you add a new guy there’s that boost of energy. Some enthusiasm. We definitely want him to give us that.”
In 45 games in the AHL, Howard produced 22 goals and 47 points. He’ll get thrown into the fire tonight with some offence needed after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at L.A.
Players always seem to improve in the AHL, especially first-year pros like the 22-year-old Howard. What makes them better down there?
“It’s a blend of everything,” last year’s Hobey Baker Award winner said. “It’s getting a lot of minutes, a lot of touches, figuring things out as the season goes on, playing a lot of games. I think that all just kind of blends in and helps each guy get better.”
