Oilers Can't Make Postseason Without Leon Draisaitl

Can the Edmonton Oilers make the postseason now that they won't have superstar Leon Draisaitl for the remaining schedule?

The Oilers received devastating news when head coach Kris Knoblauch announced that a lower-body injury would keep Draisaitl out of the lineup. The given timeline was a few weeks, ruling him out for the team's remaining 13 regular-season contests.

Things only get more difficult for the Oilers as they try to hold on to their playoff spot in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Even with captain Connor McDavid pulling the team behind him, the Oilers are going to miss the postseason without Draisaitl around.

Who Will Score for Oilers?

Draisaitl is one of the best players in the NHL. Replacing him is impossible, as veteran winger Zach Hyman describes.

"Nobody is just going to come in and replace him," he said to NHL.com. "Every line, every player has to play a little bit better and collectively as a group. When you do that, you play better as a team."

Hyman echoes the exact sentiment the Oilers must embody without Draisaitl, but how realistic is that? Hyman is the team's third-leading goal scorer with 29 tallies, but after that the production drops off. No one else in Edmonton has reached the 20-goal mark, even with four players approaching that total.

“We’re missing a perennial 50-goal scorer, so over 82 games that’s a goal every two or three games,” Hyman explained. “That’s a lot of goals and a lot of assists as well."

Mar 10, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Can McDavid Do It Alone?

The Oilers' only hope, as it so often falls to, is that McDavid single-handedly drags them into the postseason.

To Edmonton's credit, that belief carries merit. McDavid is at the top of the league scoring race once again and in the conversation for MVP. In 69 contests, he has 37 goals and 78 assists for 115 points. He currently leads Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov by four points for the lead.

Now, the Oilers are counting on him to lead the charge once again. The top spot in the Pacific Division is up for grabs, as the Anaheim Ducks, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton are all within a single point of each other. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings are five points back of the top three spots in the Pacific.

It's only going to get tighter and more competitive over the remaining schedule. McDavid has to be perfect and elevate the Oilers, otherwise the loss of Draisaitl will be what forces them to miss the postseason.

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