The Edmonton Oilers will be without their leading scorer for at least one more game as Leon Draisaitl is out with a lower-body injury.
Coach Kris Knoblauch informed reporters on Friday that Draisaitl will not play in Saturday`s game against the Los Angeles Kings. He is also likely to be absent from Monday`s game against the Anaheim Ducks.
Despite missing these games, the team expects Draisaitl to recover soon and return well before the playoffs begin. The injury is considered to be short-term.
Draisaitl appeared to get injured during the second period of the Oilers` 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Knoblauch described it as a lower-body injury. Notably, Draisaitl had previously missed four games last month due to an undisclosed injury.
This season, Draisaitl has scored 52 goals and ranks third in the league with 102 points.
Draisaitl`s injury adds to the Oilers` challenges as they are already playing without captain Connor McDavid, who has been out since March 20 with a lower-body injury.
Goaltender Stuart Skinner, as well as defensemen Mattias Ekholm and John Klingberg, are also currently injured and not traveling with the team on their road trip.
Even with these injuries, the Oilers have been performing well, winning their last three games and seven of their previous ten. They are approaching their game against the Kings just two points behind Los Angeles for second place in the Pacific Division, with seven regular-season games remaining.
There is a slight chance that Trent Frederic might be available for Sunday`s game, according to Knoblauch. If he plays, it would mark his debut for the Oilers following a trade from the Boston Bruins. He has been recovering from an ankle issue.
