Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman gave Kris Knoblauch some good news for the playoffs when they both participated in Edmonton’s recent full practice.
This doesn’t mean either player is definitely in for Game 1, but it brightens the spirits of the Oilers since their two biggest injury concerns are back practicing together.
Draisaitl’s situation is still more serious. He has been sidelined since March 15 due to a lower-body injury, and Knoblauch mentioned last week that Draisaitl might not be ready for the first playoff game.
Now things look a bit better, even though not perfect. Draisaitl skated with his teammates again after being out for an entire month, which is just what Edmonton needed to see as the regular season comes to an end.
Hyman’s return to practice is equally important for the team’s lineup. Knoblauch stated on April 5 that Hyman could be out for up to 2 weeks with an unknown injury, so having him back in team drills is a big positive step.
That’s why this news is more than just a nice update as the season wraps up. It’s the first indication that Edmonton might regain its top six players before the playoffs actually start.
Edmonton is finally feeling more confident about the playoffs.
The Oilers have managed to keep things going even with some injuries, but nobody in the team wants to start a playoff round without Draisaitl and Hyman. Draisaitl is still ranked ninth in the league for scoring with 97 points in 65 games, which shows how much the team misses him when he’s not playing.
Hyman adds another valuable element to the team. He works hard in front of the net, chases after the puck, and helps make things easier for Edmonton’s star players when the power play or offense gets going.
That’s why this practice update is more important than just a regular practice. When both players join in on the drills, Knoblauch can start planning real lineups again instead of mixing and matching players.
However, there is still some care being taken. Reports from Oilersnation mentioned that neither Draisaitl nor Hyman was likely to play in the game against Colorado on Monday, which shows that the team is still being careful about their return.
But things changed as soon as both players were back on the ice with the team. Edmonton entered the last part of the season with a record of 40 wins, 30 losses, and 11 overtime losses for a total of 91 points. The difference between having a strong top six players and a weaker one could really affect how they perform in the first round of the playoffs.
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