As the Edmonton Oilers look toward the National Hockey League Playoffs on Saturday, they're surely hoping Leon Draisaitl will be ready to go as early as possible. In Saturday's loss to the LA Kings, Connor McDavid was unable to replicate his output against the San Jose Sharks, where he singlehandedly lifted the team to a victory, and the rest of the team wasn't able to make up the slack.
The Oilers went 0-1 on the powerplay and they couldn't put the opportunities they did have in the back of the net. The team has done a solid job for the most part, overcoming the absence of Draisaitl to the put risk of missing the playoffs to bed, but the longer they're without one of their superstars, the more that gap in the lineup becomes apparent.
What does Draisaitl do?
With 97 points before his injury, Draisaitl was set to cruise to another 100+ point season. As an elite finisher, his effect on the powerplay was well known, but anyone who believed him to be merely a beneficiary of McDavid's skills can clearly see how others, including highly competent players like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, struggle to fill the void he left.
Draisaitl also makes the top six significantly more dangerous. Whether he's centering a separate line, creating matchup nightmares for opposing defenses, or when he plays alongside McDavid, other coaches are forced to gameplan for his presence. It complicates line matches and strategies, as well as adding more than a point per game to Edmonton's team scoring totals.
What if he's not ready?
If Draisaitl isn't ready to go for Game 1, then no matter who the opponent is, the team will have to continue finding ways to win without him. They do have a slight advantage however. The NHL's current playoff structure is a boon for the relatively weak Pacific Division, because while the Metropolitan's three big teams have to fight their way through one another for a Conference Final berth, the Oilers will only face teams with records similar to their own.
The Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth, and any of the other middling teams fighting for a wildcard spot are all beatable. The Oilers have dispatched each of them in 2025-26 and they have to be the favorite in a seven game series, even without Draisaitl in the lineup. But if the timeline we've been hearing since the injury occurred remains the same, Draisaitl should be back, and the Oilers, with their improved defense and special teams, will be the team to beat.