The Edmonton Oilers really miss their other superstar player.
The game on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning highlighted this issue.
Let’s talk about what Leon Draisaitl’s situation means for the Edmonton Oilers: 9 key points.
So, what’s going on with Leon Draisaitl? And what can the Oilers do to deal with this situation, if anything?
9 Key Points
9. The Oilers shared this past week that they signed a new three-year agreement for their radio broadcasts with 880 CHED. CHED has been the team’s radio station since 1995. Listening to games on the radio is still the best way to enjoy them without needing to watch, as it’s easy and can be done anywhere. Jack Michaels, Cam Moon, and Bob Stauffer are some of the top announcers in the business.
8. By the way, the winter ratings report from NUMERIS (R1/26, FC CUME, A2+) is out. Among the Edmonton sports radio shows, “Oilers Now” with Bob Stauffer had the biggest daily audience, averaging 29,869 listeners. “Inside Sports” (also on CHED, hosted by Brenden Escott) attracted 26,479 listeners. The “Nielson Show” on CRUZ-FM reached 9,436 listeners.
7. Before the game on Saturday, Mattias Ekholm was the top NHL defenseman with the highest Expected Goals percentage (xGF%) at 65.96. Cale Makar was in second place, and Brayden McNabb was third. Oilers player Evan Bouchard was in fourth with a percentage of 63.18. Ekholm has had an impressive season, especially since an injury affected his play late last season. He will turn 36 in May.
6. The Oilers have really felt the absence of Ty Emberson. This season, he has made good improvements. Without him, that third defensive pair has often struggled. However, against Tampa, Emberson was +1 in 13 minutes and 18 seconds of ice time, showing his team was 15-7 in even strength play, which is 68%. There were also 1-2 in high danger scoring chances. Actually, Emberson seemed to make Jake Walman play better since Walman only allowed one high danger chance while playing even strength. Maybe Emberson knows how to get the best out of Walman!
5. The injury to Trent Frederic on Thursday happened at a really bad time for both him and the team. Since the Olympic break, Frederic has been performing like the player the Oilers expected. It has been a welcome change after a tough beginning to the season. When he’s feeling good, Frederic’s combination of size, toughness, and skills is only matched by Vasily Podkolzin among the forwards. More on Podkolzin soon…
4. I believe we shouldn’t ignore how much two deep playoff runs have affected the Edmonton Oilers. It’s not an excuse, but it definitely could explain why their season has been tough so far. Just think about how many “real” games Connor McDavid has played in the last three years: 270 games, counting the NHL regular season, Stanley Cup playoffs, Four Nations, and Olympics. He also plays around 22 minutes each game. Many players on the roster have played a lot of games too. This could be taking a toll on them.
3. The Florida Panthers had a tough time on their latest trip away from home, winning just one out of four games. They beat the Oilers but lost to three teams that are not going to the playoffs: Seattle, Calgary, and Vancouver. It’s important to remember that the defending champions are usually very challenging opponents. Out of the four games, it was quite expected that the Panthers would really want to perform well against the Oilers. The two teams have played against each other a lot in the past. I thought the Oilers would feel the same way, but that wasn’t true.
2. Looking ahead to Saturday’s match against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that was better than the Panthers in 2026. It was a close game where the stronger team came out on top. However, if the Oilers perform like that against Florida, I think they would win most of the time. I also appreciated how Edmonton fought back physically, with Ekholm and McDavid stepping up after Bouchard got hit from behind. Podkolzin also took down Cirelli. In the end, the players from Tampa outperformed the Oilers. This can happen when you’re up against a top team like the Lightning. But the effort was clear. That gives me some optimism for the future.
1. The injured Leon Draisaitl is in Germany getting help from famous sports doctor Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt. He is known as the best in his area of expertise. Draisaitl said through a translator, “It will definitely take a few weeks. I hope we advance far enough so I can contribute to the team again. ” I noticed Draisaitl was walking a little stiffly but he wasn’t really limping. Dr. Harjas Grewal, who is well-known for diagnosing sports injuries both through video and his medical experience, mentioned, “Draisaitl doesn’t have a brace, a boot, or crutches. In terms of injury updates in the NHL, that’s probably the best news you can get.” Grewal went on to say, “It could very well be a Grade 1 MCL injury. If it is, he’ll definitely be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, and even if it’s Grade 2, the chances are still good. ”
Draisaitl not being in the last two games has been really obvious. The team has not scored any goals during the Power play, going 0 for 5. The way they are playing during even strength, or 5v5, is also not as strong. The Oilers rely heavily on three players to lead the game: Draisaitl, McDavid, and Bouchard. The other players are simply there to support them. When you lose one of these key players, the team changes a lot. This isn’t just a problem for Edmonton; many teams would be in a similar situation.
Right now, Edmonton’s star player has no sidekick. This makes the Oilers a little less powerful. Some players will need to step up their game, while others should be careful not to overdo it. Dedicated and optimistic fans in Oil Country, along with the more negative ones who are critical, will each interpret the Draisaitl/Munich situation in their own ways. But here’s my opinion on it:
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