Report: Draisaitl visits doctor in Germany for lower-body injury
Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl visited a doctor in Germany after recently being ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury, reports Sky Sports' Ben Heckner.
Draisaitl attended Saturday's Bayern Munich game and raised alarm bells when he told Sky Sports his return to action may hinge on how far the Oilers advance in the playoffs.
"It will definitely take a few weeks," Draisaitl said. "I hope we go far enough so I can help the team again."
However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Draisaitl's original recovery timeline hasn't changed.
I recognize this interview caused about 1,000 heart attacks...but as I understand it, Draisaitl's current timeline has not changed.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 21, 2026
The expectation right now is he's out until the end of the regular season.
This, by the way, is the same doctor Auston Matthews visited a year… https://t.co/okApqDcUEo
Draisaitl has missed Edmonton's past two games and was recently placed on long-term injured reserve. The Oilers enter Saturday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a one-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for second in the Pacific Division. The Anaheim Ducks hold a three-point lead in the top spot.
Edmonton has reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, losing both times to the Florida Panthers. Draisaitl notched 64 points in 47 playoff games the past two springs and had 97 points in 65 games in 2025-26 before he was injured.
HEADLINES
- Schaefer's historic season, Team Canada GM options, more NHL hot topics
- Karlsson scores 2 as Penguins beat Jets in shootout
- MacKinnon notches 3 points as Avs become 1st team to clinch playoff spot
- Nikishin scores in OT to lift East-leading Hurricanes past Maple Leafs
- Don't expect Canada's long Stanley Cup drought to end this year