The Edmonton Oilers are about to face a serious test of depth and resilience - and it comes at a pivotal point in their season. Leon Draisaitl, the team’s do-it-all forward and a cornerstone of their offensive engine, has returned to Germany to attend to a family illness. The Oilers expect him back sometime next week, but in the meantime, they’ll have to navigate a demanding stretch without one of the league’s most impactful players.
And make no mistake - Draisaitl’s absence is a big deal.
He’s not just a top scorer; he’s a foundational piece of everything Edmonton does. Sitting fourth in the NHL with 67 points, Draisaitl just hit the 1,000-point milestone - a testament to his consistency and elite production.
He’s been remarkably durable over the years, missing only 20 games in the last nine seasons. That kind of reliability is rare, and it’s one of the reasons the Oilers have been able to count on him in every situation.
This season alone, Draisaitl has been directly involved in 42 percent of Edmonton’s goals - 67 of their 159. That’s not just a stat, that’s a pulse check.
When he’s on the ice, good things happen. And when he’s off?
Well, we’re about to find out.
The timing couldn’t be more challenging. The Oilers are in the thick of a tightly packed schedule leading into the Olympic break.
They’ve got Vancouver on Saturday, St. Louis on Sunday, and New Jersey on Tuesday - followed by three games in five nights against Pittsburgh, Washington, and Anaheim.
That’s six games in ten days, all without one of their most important players.
And Draisaitl’s value goes beyond the scoresheet. He’s a central figure on the power play, which has been a major weapon for Edmonton this year.
Of the team’s 135 goals at even strength and on the power play, 40 have come with the man advantage. Nearly 30 percent of their total offense has come from special teams - and Draisaitl is a driving force behind that success.
He’s also the Oilers’ primary face-off guy, taking nearly a third of the team’s total draws this season - 799 out of 2,539. On the power play, that number jumps even higher: 141 of 212.
And he’s winning them at a 56.3 percent clip, which is elite. Without him, the Oilers will have to lean more heavily on Connor McDavid (47 percent on 528 draws) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (46.3 percent on 160 draws).
Adam Henrique, who’s also been a regular in the circle, is currently on injured reserve.
So, yeah - face-offs could become a real issue.
And then there’s the ripple effect on the lineup. Draisaitl’s presence elevates everyone around him.
He’s one of those rare players who can take a couple of middle-six wingers and turn them into a legitimate second line. Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen have benefited from that dynamic - but without Draisaitl driving that line, their roles and effectiveness could shift dramatically.
This is the kind of stretch that tests a team’s structure, coaching, and depth. The Oilers still have McDavid, of course, and they’ve got talent up and down the roster.
But replacing what Draisaitl brings - his scoring, his playmaking, his face-off dominance, his power play quarterbacking - isn’t something you do with one player. It’ll take a collective effort.
The good news? It’s a short-term absence.
The Oilers expect Draisaitl back next week. But in a season where every point matters - and with the Olympic break looming - the next few games could carry more weight than usual.
For now, the Oilers will have to dig deep. Because when you lose a player like Draisaitl, you don’t just replace him - you survive until he returns.