Edmonton Star Draisaitl Sidelined With Injury for Regular Season’s End

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl will be out for the remainder of the NHL regular season due to a lower-body injury sustained during Sunday's game against Nashville. The injury leaves the defending Western Conference champions fighting for a playoff position without one of hockey's elite players.

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers announced Tuesday that superstar Leon Draisaitl will be sidelined for the remainder of the NHL regular season due to a lower-body injury, forcing the two-time defending Western Conference champions to battle for playoff positioning without one of hockey’s premier talents.

Draisaitl will be unavailable for Edmonton’s final 14 regular season contests, which conclude on April 16.

Team officials have not disclosed the specific nature of the injury or indicated whether the German forward might return in time for playoff action, which is scheduled to begin during the April 18-19 weekend.

The injury occurred during Sunday’s matchup against the Nashville Predators when Draisaitl took a hard hit from Nashville’s Ozzy Wiesblatt in the opening period. He was unable to continue playing after the collision.

Following their victory over Nashville, Edmonton currently holds third place in the Pacific Division standings, trailing Vegas by one point and Anaheim by two points, although both the Golden Knights and Ducks have played one fewer game.

The 30-year-old Draisaitl has been instrumental in Edmonton’s playoff push this season. He currently sits fourth league-wide in scoring with 97 points across 65 games, ranking second on his team behind only Connor McDavid, who leads the NHL with 114 points.

Draisaitl captured the Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2020 and finished as runner-up for the award last season. He recently represented Germany at the Olympics, leading his national team in scoring with seven points over five games.

Draisaitl joins Toronto’s Auston Matthews as the second high-profile NHL player ruled out for the regular season’s remainder, with Matthews sidelined by a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.