EDMONTON — Leon Draisaitl wheeling through Sunday's practice at Rogers Place boded well for the Edmonton Oilers.
But Kris Knoblauch wasn't yet ready to green light the star forward for Monday's Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks.
"Leon's been training very well this last week or so and has participated in several practices," the Oilers' coach said.
"He'll be available sometime during round one, whether that's (game) one or five, that hasn't been decided yet."
Draisaitl sat out the last 14 games of the regular season with a knee injury sustained March 15 when he was checked by Nashville's Ozzy Weisblatt.
Draisaitl rejoined his teammates on the ice last Monday and skated with them a fifth time Sunday.
"It was a lot of lonely times when you're hurt, the guys are on the road, you're kind of grinding by yourself," he said Sunday. "I'm happy where it's at right now.
"I feel good. We'll see how it feels tomorrow. We'll make a call from there."
Draisaitl had 35 goals and 62 assists in 65 games when he was injured. He was denied the chance at a possible fifth career 50-goal, 100-point season.
The German forward has compiled 141 points in 96 career playoff games.
"It's going to take a little bit of time, but I'm going to find my ways to contribute and try to get to my best as quick as I can," Draisaitl said.
A one-two punch of captain Connor McDavid and Draisaitl would give the seasoned Oilers a leg up in Game 1 against the Ducks returning to the post-season after a seven-year absence.
Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup final the last two years and lost both times to the Florida Panthers.
In 14 playoff series over the last six years, Edmonton's record in series-openers was 4-10.
Draisaitl, 30, has played through post-season pain before. Despite a high-ankle sprain in Game 6 of the 2022 opening round against Los Angeles, he recorded two goals and 22 assists in his next 10 games before the Oilers were ousted in the conference final by Colorado.
"He has an ability to raise his game to a whole other level," McDavid said Sunday. "You see that time and time again in the playoffs, this guy who battled through anything. Really impressive."
Draisaitl credited Edmonton's strength and conditioning coach Chad Drummond and assistant athletic therapist Chris Davie for shepherding him through his most recent injury.
"There's always a fine line of hurting yourself or your future or the team to grinding through something that you've got to find different ways to contribute and help your team," Draisaitl said.
"I know it's going to take me a couple games to really be myself and that's OK. It's just the best time of the year. There's nothing like it. The atmosphere, the intensity of it, the meaning of it all, the adrenalin takes a lot of pain away, so just enjoy this time of year."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2026.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
