EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Leon Draisaitl will be “out short term” for the Edmonton Oilers after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, coach Kris Knoblauch said Friday.
Draisaitl, who leads the NHL with 52 goals in 71 games, did not play in a 3-0 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, but Knoblauch said he expects the forward will be available for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April 19.
“We think it’s going to be back well before that, so we’re not too concerned, especially with Leon’s pain tolerance and things that he’s played through before, but he will be missing some time,” Knoblauch said.
Draisaitl’s last shift Thursday ended at 10:08 of the second period. It was his third game back after he missed four games from March 20-27 because of an undisclosed injury, but Knoblauch said this new ailment was not related.
The Oilers (44-27-5), who trail the Kings by fourpoints for second in the Pacific Division, have been dealing with significant injury issues, headlined by the absence of center Connor McDavid (lower body) for the past seven games.
McDavid, who has 90 points (26 goals, 64 assists) in 63 games), remains out but traveled with the team for its two games in Southern California, ending at the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. McDavid was a limited participant in practice Friday.
Knoblauch said Sunday that McDavid is expected back before the end of the regular season. Edmonton ends the regular season at San Jose on April 16.
Defensemen Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) and John Klingberg (undisclosed), and No. 1 goalie Stuart Skinner (head) are not with the team in California
Forward Trent Frederic made his Oilers debut Saturday. He was acquired from the Boston Bruins on March 4 as part of a three-team trade also involving the New Jersey Devils but had yet to play for his new team because of an ankle injury. Frederic had 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 57 games for the Bruins this season.
