Edmonton Oilers captain Leon Draisaitl remains in a holding pattern with his injured knee as the NHL playoffs loom, offering no guarantees he'll be ready for the team's first-round opener despite visible progress in his rehabilitation.
The German superstar, sidelined since a March 15 hit from Nashville's Ozzy Weisblatt, has missed a dozen games and any chance at reaching the 50-goal, 100-point milestone for a fifth consecutive season. But Monday's morning skate offered encouraging signs that his return may be closer than many expected.
"There are steps I have to follow and certain things I have to be able to do," Draisaitl said Monday, characteristically measured in his assessment. "I'm not there yet right now. We'll see how that is by the end of the week or whenever Game 1 would be."
The pragmatic approach reflects the delicate balance Draisaitl and the Oilers' medical staff must navigate. While the 28-year-old has built a reputation for playing through pain and delivering at an elite level, this particular injury demands full recovery.
"There are certain things you can play through and other things where you have to think about your future and the team's future," Draisaitl explained. "I think our staff and medical staff and myself, we know how to handle this situation. When it's good to go and when it's not."
Head coach Kris Knoblauch stopped short of committing to Draisaitl's availability for the playoff opener, expected next Sunday.
"It would be premature to say that he'd be healthy to play today," Knoblauch said when asked if Draisaitl could have played Monday against Colorado in a playoff scenario. "He's got some healing process to go through. Hopefully with some skates and the rehab treatments that he's getting, he's ready for us. Ideally it would be Game 1. If it's Game 3 or 4, then so be it."
The Oilers enter the postseason dealing with an injury crisis across their forward group. Zach Hyman remains questionable for Thursday's game against Vancouver, while Jason Dickinson won't play in Edmonton's final two regular-season contests. Both Draisaitl and Hyman participated in Monday's morning skate, suggesting they're trending toward availability.
Max Jones faces a longer recovery timeline, sidelined for three to four weeks.
The injuries have forced Edmonton to activate German rookie Josh Samanski as a potential replacement for Dickinson in the third-line centre role. The 22-game NHL veteran brings a similar playing style to his predecessor, according to Knoblauch, and could see expanded minutes if Dickinson remains unavailable.
Despite the injury uncertainty, Draisaitl's commitment to the team's championship aspirations remains unquestioned. Knoblauch emphasized that the star forward's will to compete in the playoffs has never been in doubt—only his body's readiness.
"We know Leon will play through a lot of pain, and he wants to play in the playoffs more than anything," Knoblauch said. "So there's never a doubt about his will. We would love to have him for Game 1, but we'll have to wait and find out."
This article is based on reporting from Sportsnet. Read the original story at Sportsnet.ca