The Edmonton Oilers have received some positive news on the injury front as they head towards the playoffs. After reaching the Stanley Cup finals in each of the last two seasons, Edmonton will enter the 2026 postseason with less hype. The Oilers, however, can still win the Pacific Division. They currently find themselves just one point behind the Las Vegas Golden Knights with two games remaining.
Defensive woes have once again plagued Edmonton during the 2025-26 season. While they will feature in the playoffs, the Oilers have allowed 263 goals on the campaign. This particular figure ranks fifth-worst in the NHL. Along with issues without the puck, injuries have also hurt the club in recent weeks. Superstar Leon Draisaitl has not played since March 15 due to a lower-body injury. Fellow forward Zach Hyman has also been sidelined since April 2.
The Oilers initially managed to weather the storm immediately following Draisaitl’s injury. However, the team has won just one out of four games without both the superstar and Hyman in the lineup. With the postseason quickly approaching, Edmonton fans finally breathed a sigh of relief regarding the situation. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug is reporting that both forwards skated on the ice on April 13.
According to the reporter, Draisaitl particularly looked good in the session. Rishaug claimed that the superstar skated “fairly well” on the ice. After the practice, Draisaitl said that he has been amping up his skating over the last week. He, however, also admitted that he is unlikely to be healthy for game one of the postseason. The Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 18.
Edmonton Oilers Will Not Rush Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman Back to Action
GettyLeon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman are both getting healthy at the right time.
Although the report is obviously great news for Edmonton Oilers fans, head coach Kris Knoblauch will not rush the duo back just yet. According to Rishaug, the coach revealed that Hyman is not playing against the Colorado Avalanche on April 13. The forward, however, could officially return to the ice during the team’s final regular-season game on April 16 against the Vancouver Canucks.
Nevertheless, Knoblauch was less committed regarding Draisaitl. The coach only claimed that the star will likely be healthy enough at some point during the first round of the playoffs. The Oilers will need both dynamic forwards fit and ready to go in the postseason.
Despite missing the last dozen games, Draisaitl still ranks ninth in the league with 97 points. Alongside Connor McDavid, the duo is widely regarded as the top pairing in the NHL. Although not as high-profile as the two superstars, Hyman is also very important to Edmonton. The veteran has 51 points in 57 games so far during the current campaign.
Edmonton Needs the Tandem Ready for Postseason Run
Because of their defensive struggles, the Oilers will need all the firepower they can get in the upcoming postseason. If the standings remain the same (somewhat unlikely), Edmonton would face the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. The Oilers won two out of the three matchups against the Ducks in 2026.
There are still several other possible playoff scenarios for Edmonton, though. Regardless of who they will face in the first round, the Oilers will want a healthy Draisaitl and Hyman for the majority of the series. Draisaitl scored the most goals for the club in the 2024-25 postseason, while Hyman posted a team-high +10 in 15 total games.
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