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Optimism around when Leon Draisaitl could return from injury?

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Jackson Weber | Last updated Mar 26, 2026 11:26 PM ET

There have been a lot of conflicting reports and rumors around Leon Draisaitl’s injury and his timeline for returning to the Edmonton Oilers lineup.

The Oilers initially stated that Draisaitl would miss the remainder of the regular season, without offering further details. Then came his interview with Sky Sports, where he mentioned hoping the team makes it far enough for him to help. That struck fear throughout Edmonton, though all reports since have suggested there’s no need to worry — and the most recent from insider Jason Gregor should completely alleviate any concern.

Gregor not only expects Draisaitl to be 100% healthy by Game 1 of the playoffs, he also believes there’s a chance he could play a tune-up game toward the end of the regular season.

Gregor said:

“Now Leon Draisaitl, I fully expect Draisaitl to be ready for the playoffs and I think there’s a chance that you might see him for one of the final regular season games. Because A, his LTIR would finish before then — they strategically put him on LTIR when they had a few games left in the regular season that he could make. So not saying he will, but I think I’ve been hearing there’s a chance that that’s possible for him. All depends on all the rehab and healing, everything else like that,”

"I full expect Draisaitl to be ready for the playoffs, and I think there's a chance that you might see him for one of the final regular season games."

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The 30-year-old Draisaitl racked up 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) in just 65 games played prior to suffering the injury.

As Gregor mentioned, Draisaitl’s LTIR stint will meet the 10-game and 24-day requirement in time for the final three games of the regular season, which would give him the opportunity to test things out if he’s back to full health.

Getting the superstar center into game action for one — or even two — of those final three contests to prepare for the postseason would be ideal for Edmonton. Not only would it give Draisaitl a chance to get his hands and legs back under him ahead of the most important time of year, but it could also allow him to reach the 100-point mark for the fifth consecutive season and the seventh time in his NHL career.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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