EDMONTON – Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch won’t yet say whether Leon Draisaitl will play in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks.

The German forward sat out the last 14 games of the regular season with a knee injury sustained March 15. Draisaitl has been skating with the team for the past few days and participated in a full practice Sunday.

Knoblauch said Draisaitl still has to be cleared by medical staff to play.

Draisaitl had 35 goals and 62 assists in 65 games at the time of his injury. He’s compiled 141 points in 96 career playoff games.

Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup final the last two years and lost both times to the Florida Panthers.

The Oilers host the Ducks in the first two games before the best-of-seven series flips to Anaheim for the third and fourth games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2026.