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Leon Draisaitl Returns to Oilers Lineup

The Edmonton Oilers will get a huge boost to their lineup with the return of Leon Draisaitl.

Nick Horwat

Mar 14, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates the game winning goal after overtime against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates the game winning goal after overtime against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images / Thomas Salus-Imagn Images
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The Edmonton Oilers are coming off of a brutal 6-1 loss at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, but will have a key reinforcement as they look to get back to the win column. Before dropping the puck in the latest chapter in the Battle of Alberta, the Oilers announced that star forward Leon Draisaitl will return to the lineup.

Draisaitl has been sidelined for four games with an undisclosed injury and wasn’t the only key face missing from the Oilers lineup. While Draisaitl was out, the Oilers also lost Connor McDavid and starting goalie Stuart Skinner.

Both McDavid and Skinner are still sidelined without a clear picture of a timetable.

Without Draisaitl, the Oilers went 1-2-1 and were outscored 18-12. The Oilers showed in each of those four games just how important guys like Draisaitl and McDavid are to their lineup.

In 68 games played to this point of the season, Draisaitl leads the NHL with 49 goals and 52 assists for 101 total points. Draisaitl is one of three players in the entire NHL to surpass the 100-mark this season as the playoffs approach.

Draisaitl is joined by the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon who both have 109 points.

The Oilers are likely not going to have an issue making the playoffs, but their next opponent, the Calgary Flames, are looking to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Flames have gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 and are eight points back of the streaking St. Louis Blues who are holding the second wild card spot with 87 points.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

Nick Horwat is a contributor with Breakaway On SI. He was previously a credentialed reporter for The Hockey News covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A Pittsburgh native, Nick graduated from Point Park University and started reporting on news and sports with KDKA Radio and 93.7 The Fan. After hosting a Penguins talk radio show in college, he morphed the show into a podcast. The Tip of the Ice-Burgh Podcast has been a leading Penguins podcast since 2019. Follow him on Twitter @NickHorwat41.