Edmonton Oilers’ Injury Crisis Worsens, More Star Players Sidelined

The Edmonton Oilers have been hit with another wave of disappointing injury updates, and this time, it’s their biggest stars in the crosshairs. As the team gears up to take on the Seattle Kraken this Saturday night, they’ll have to do it without some of their top talent—most notably, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who are sidelined with injuries.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch provided a concerning update, suggesting the dynamic duo could be out for roughly a week, according to NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest. With the Oilers already navigating a tough season, losing their two offensive powerhouses is a massive blow as they prepare to face the Kraken. Can the rest of the squad step up in their absence? Fans will be holding their breath.

Connor's got a doctor's appointment today to see how long he's going to be, and we're not anticipating him playing tomorrow for sure. I would say day to day, maybe a week. We'll find out more today. Same kind of timeline [for Draisaitl]. He won't be back immediately; he'll be up to a week.

For Knoblauch, the approach is clear: there’s no sense in rushing players back or forcing them to play through injuries at this stage of the season—especially when it comes to cornerstone players like Draisaitl and McDavid. Protecting their health is the top priority.

Obviously, we have to be cognizant of what's ahead of us. The playoffs are very important, and pushing guys that are injured to make themselves worse is not ideal. But even if it was game 5 or 6, we wouldn't want to put somebody in a position where they're going to make themselves worse who had a nagging injury.

Meanwhile, the Oilers’ depth on the ice has taken a significant blow, and the situation just got tougher. In a disappointing update, one of their injured players is now expected to be out longer than originally anticipated.

Trent Frederic, who was acquired from the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline, has yet to make his debut with the Oilers. While there were earlier reports that he might only return in time for the playoffs, it’s now been revealed that he’ll be sidelined for at least two more weeks.