Oilers News: Big Update On Leon Draisaitl Ahead of the Playoffs

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl

The Edmonton Oilers have held their ground over the past month without the services of superstar Leon Draisaitl. The Oil have gone 7-4-1 and secured themselves a spot in the playoffs. But their chances in the 'second season' simply aren't so good without King Leon. On Monday, he provided an update on his status.

Draisaitl was ruled out for the rest of the regular season back on March 17. He then raised a few eyebrows and caused some panic about a week later when he went to Germany for some treatment and said in a German interview, “It will definitely take a few weeks. I hope we go far enough so I can help the team again.”

That ominous statement did not make it sound like he would be back at the start of the playoffs, despite the Oilers' stated hopes that he would be.

Today, on April 13th, Draisaitl was back on the ice in Edmonton and gave some insight as to his condition. He admitted that he wasn't fully recovered yet, and it's still unknown if he'll be there when the playoffs begin this weekend.

Draisaitl putting in some time this morning working with Podkolzin. Looked to be skating around fairly well. pic.twitter.com/Buv8Liqq1p
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) April 13, 2026

Ryan Rishaug reports that Drai was skating around "fairly well," and fellow reporter Mark Spector of Sportsnet agreed, but with a caveat: "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."

The German Gretzky addressed his situation himself after Monday's practice, without giving anything away:

"We’ll see. 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.”

So he's not fully recovered, but is leaving the door open about where he'll be five days or so from now.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch was also just as evasive.

“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 said. “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.”

Draisaitl recorded 35 goals and 97 points in his 65 games this season, the first time he'll fail to crack the 100-point mark in eight years, save for the pandemic-shortened season in 2020-21.

And as for how important it'll be to have him available for the playoffs? He has an eye-popping 52 goals and 141 points in 96 career postseason games.

Oilers Nation is waiting with bated breath.