Oilers' Leon Draisaitl Traveling to Germany for Family Matter

The Edmonton Oilers will be forced to enter tonight's game against the Vancouver Canucks without their top forward. Leon Draisaitl is taking a leave of absence to travel to Germany and attend to a family illness, the team announced Saturday afternoon, hours before their game against the Vancouver Canucks.

The organization released a brief statement explaining that Draisaitl is expected to return to the team later next week and asking for privacy on his behalf during this difficult time. Draisaitl's absence creates a significant void for the Oilers.

The 30-year-old center ranks second on the team, just behind linemate Connor McDavid, and fifth in the NHL with 67 points through 48 games this season, recording 25 goals and 42 assists while averaging 22:05 of ice time per game. He had not missed a game this season before Saturday.

The German superstar sits one assist shy of reaching 600 for his career, a milestone only three players in Oilers history have achieved. His 1,023 career points rank among the franchise's all-time greats, and he has played all 838 of his NHL games in an Edmonton uniform since being selected third overall in the 2014 draft.

Lineup Adjustments

Head coach Kris Knoblauch made several lineup changes to account for Draisaitl's absence. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moves from wing to center on the second line, skating between Trent Frederic and Kasperi Kapanen. Frederic, who has played better recently, receives a promotion to the second line as a reward for his improved play.

The forward lines for Saturday's game against Vancouver are as follows: Vasily Podkolzin-Connor McDavid-Zach Hyman on the top line, Frederic-Nugent-Hopkins-Kapanen on the second line, Gavin Howard-Jack Roslovic-Matthew Savoie on the third line, and Andrew Mangiapane-Curtis Lazar-Mattias Janmark on the fourth line.

Leon Draisaitl is taking a brief leave of absence from the Oilers to attend to a family illness in Germany, the team announced.

Draisaitl is expected to return to the team late next week. pic.twitter.com/95BSBwM4oF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 17, 2026

Knoblauch kept the third line of Howard-Roslovic-Savoie together, showing confidence in that unit's recent chemistry.

Difficult Timing

The organization hasn't specified exactly when Draisaitl will return, stating only that he's expected back "later next week." That vague timeline suggests the Oilers are giving their star player the flexibility to handle his family situation without pressure to return by a specific date.

However, while that's commendable for the Oilers on their part, the timing presents challenges for Edmonton. After Saturday's game in Vancouver, the Oilers host St. Louis on Sunday before welcoming New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Washington next week.

The team faces eight games in the final two weeks of January, leading up to the Olympic break on February 5. The Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division with a 23-17-8 record and 54 points. They have gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and will need other players to step up offensively while Draisaitl tends to his family matter.

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