Draisaitl back at Oilers practice, status for start of playoffs uncertain
Forward skates with teammates for 1st time since sustaining lower-body injury on March 15
www.nhl.comHere’s the latest on Leon Draisaitl’s injury status:
- Draisaitl was ruled out for the remainder of the Edmonton Oilers’ 2025-26 regular season due to a lower-body injury suffered on March 15 against the Nashville Predators. The Oilers announced he would miss the rest of the regular season, with unclear timelines for a potential playoff return. [Source: CBS Sports first report and Oilers announcement coverage][3][7]
- Early reports described the injury as potentially a hip pointer or other lower-body issue, with doctors assessing the severity; at that time there was no firm timetable for return. [Source: The Hockey News update around mid-March][2]
- Draisaitl returned to practice in mid-April, but his status for the start of the playoffs remained uncertain, with him needing to demonstrate readiness and condition before Game 1. [Source: NHL.com update, April 13, 2026][5]
- By mid-April, outlets indicated he was taking gradual steps and ongoing evaluation would determine if he could participate in the postseason. [Sources: The Hockey News and Yardbarker summaries][4][6]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent official team update or summarize the playoff outlook for the Oilers with and without Draisaitl. I can also set up a quick timeline of his injury progression and return milestones.