Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and was unable to suit up for Thursday's clash against the West-leading Winnipeg Jets.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said the team will be conservative with Draisaitl's recovery as the playoffs approach.
"Absolutely, it's definitely being cautious," Knoblauch said. "We're hitting the end of the regular season, hitting the playoffs. We want 100% from Leon when he's healthy, and this is something we do not want to linger."
He added: "Leon has played through so much. He's a battler, so there's not too often that he comes out of the lineup. We're just being cautious here."
The Oilers have 13 regular-season games remaining. The club entered Thursday's slate in second place in the Pacific Division - two points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings.
Draisaitl has been Edmonton's driving force this season, leading the league with 49 goals while sitting second in points with 101. He also ranks fifth among all forwards in averaging 21:39 per contest.
Durability has been a strength of Draisaitl's throughout his career. The 29-year-old has missed only nine games dating back to 2016-17.
