EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Leon Draisaitl will be “out short term” for the Edmonton Oilers after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, coach Kris Knoblauch said Friday.

With the postseason nearing and each team fighting for position, the Kings put their NHL-best home record up against bruised and battered Edmonton on Saturday

The Oilers were one game away from accomplishing their goal in 2024, and believe the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be time to finish the job.

Edmonton Oilers MVP-candidate forward Leon Draisaitl can't catch a break recently.  The NHL's leading goal scorer left the Oilers' game against the San Jose

NHL leading goal scorer Leon Draisaitl left the Edmonton Oilers' game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night in the second period with an undisclosed injury and didn't return. Draisaitl appeared to get hurt midway through the second period and skated gingerly to the bench before leaving to go to the dressing room.

Never in doubt”, as our dearly departed colleague would have said… The Edmonton Oilers kept their Pacific Division title hunt alive with a big two points in San Jose Thursday night. But… Leading NHL MVP candidate Leon Draisaitl left the game with about six minutes left in the second and did not return.

On the play, a faceoff in the Sharks’ zone got back to Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, whose unblocked shot toward the net was redirected by Skinner’s skate past San Jose goalie Georgi Romanov at the 14:57 mark of the second period.

Many Oilers forwards are badly off the pace of their own established performance levels, and well shy of expectations.

The former NHL player and current analyst cited a step back in roster composition and concerns over depth and health. Speaking on the latest episode of the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast, Bissonnette said the Oilers look “smaller, slower, and older” than they did a year ago.