Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl (29) in the second period of game last month in Denver.David Zalubowski/The Associated Press
The Edmonton Oilers got a boost in Monday’s opener of their first-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks with the return of Leon Draisaitl.
Draisaitl missed the final 14 games of the regular season with a knee injury.
The German star was activated from the long-term injured list before Monday’s game, was listed on Edmonton’s game roster and participated in the pre-game warm-up.
Draisaitl skated with the team over the past week.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch predicted the forward would return some time during the first round, but had been coy about when.
“Now that it’s playoffs, it’s a little more sacred about what our lineups are going to be,” Knoblauch said Monday morning. “We’re not going to announce who’s playing and what our lines are going to be exactly.”
Draisaitl has compiled 141 points in 96 career playoff games.
Edmonton went 8-4-2 without Draisaitl to close out the season in second place in the Pacific Division and get home-ice advantage for their series with Anaheim.
Draisaitl compiled 35 goals and 67 assists in 65 games this season. He just missed out on a fifth straight 100-point campaign.
The Oilers seek to advance to the Stanley Cup final for a third straight year and win it this time. Edmonton lost the final to the Florida Panthers the last two years.
Draisaitl and Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied to lead last year’s playoffs with 33 points in 22 games apiece.
“Adding a player like Leon definitely makes a big difference,” Knoblauch said.
“It affects the other team, just with matchups, because now you’ve got two premier players that you really have to worry about and have to focus on.”