The Edmonton Oilers have finally kicked it into gear this week. After a sluggish start out of the 4 Nations break, they have won four of their last five games to jump back into contention for the Pacific Division title. Now, their two best players could be out for extended periods. Jason Gregor of Daily FaceOff reported Monday that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will likely be out for a bit with injuries.
“McDavid and Draisaitl unlikely to play any of the three games this week,” Gregor wrote. The Oilers already played one game without both stars, beating the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night. They host Dallas, play in Seattle, and host Calgary in their next three games.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Freidman added to the reporting on The 32 Thoughts Podcast. “The Oilers are not concerned that these are long-term injuries with long-term injuries with Draisaitl or McDavid that will threaten their playoffs in any way, shape, or form. As of Saturday, I was told that Draisaitl’s timeline is ahead of McDavid’s…But McDavid has blown through recovery timelines before.
The Oilers have 87 points through 70 games this season, five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. If their stars come back, they can kick it into high gear.
The Oilers should have their eyes on the Stanley Cup
Despite their star power, the Oilers have not had the best season. McDavid is not scoring at the historic pace he has in the last two years. Draisaitl was the leader in the MVP race for a while, but Connor Hellebuyck may have taken over by now. But after their Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Final last year, their focus should not be on the regular season.
The Oilers have a 99.3% chance of making the playoffs this year, according to MoneyPuck. With no big milestones to chase this year, McDavid and Draisaitl should take as much time as they need to get healthy. The division title is still in their grasp but it is not as important as cementing their legacy as Cup champions.
The Oilers are likely to play the Los Angeles Kings for the fourth consecutive season in the first round. Edmonton has taken each of their first three matchups and would be favored to win again. If McDavid and Draisaitl are healthy and on the ice, they will be difficult to beat in a seven-game series.
The Oilers are back in action on Wednesday against the Stars.
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