It’s a fine line the Edmonton Oilers are walking now when it comes to Leon Draisaitl’s recent injury. The star centre was being seen by doctors for a lower-body ailment during Monday’s practice, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters, the morning after he was hurt on a hit by opposing forward Ozzy Wiesblatt in the first period of Sunday’s 3-1 Oilers win over the visiting Nashville Predators. Knoblauch said he doesn’t know how long Draisaitl could be out of action. “We don’t want to aggravate it, make it worse,” he said. “Obviously, we’re looking at the big picture, but the games are important. There’s nothing for sure right now (in) making the playoffs, and we need to win hockey games, but if he’s not healthy to play, he’s not going to play.” The head coach recalled the 30-year-old German’s impressive playoff performance two years ago against the Vancouver Canucks while playing hurt. “I remember seeing him in the morning, and I knew going in that night that he was questionable, doubtful,” Knoblauch said. “I saw him in the morning and I thought, ‘There’s no way he’s going to play.’ And sure enough, he was playing, and he was one of the best players. He plays through a lot of pain and can play at a very high level, but if he’s not able to play, if it’s something that could get worse, that’s different.” The Oilers return to action on Tuesday night against the visiting San Jose Sharks, a Pacific Division rival that’s just a point out of a playoff spot and five points behind them. Wiesblatt’s hit sent Draisaitl to the Oilers bench. He didn’t return to the game. Draisaitl’s regular wingers Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, who were both on the ice during the hit, both approached Wiesblatt and expressed their displeasure with the hit with pushing and shoving, ending with Podzolzin fighting Predators defendeman Nicolas Hague. Oilers captain Connor McDavid said after Monday’s practice he was pleased with his team’s response to the hit, response being a notable topic around the National Hockey League in the wake of a knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews by Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas that ended Matthews’s season. Gudas, who wasn’t accosted by any Maple Leafs’ player in response to the hit, received a five-game suspension, a penalty some believe was too lenient. “If you want to hit our top guys, there’s going to be a response,” McDavid told reporters. “Obviously, there’s been lots of talk about Toronto and stuff like that, but every group’s different, and we didn’t love the fact that he finished the hit so hard on Leo, and obviously, Leo didn’t feel very good after.” With Draisaitl sidelined, rookie forward Josh Samanski centred No. 29’s regular linemates Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen at Monday’s practice. “I think he’s a smart guy. I think he’s more of a defensive player than offensive player,” Knoblauch said, also praising the 23-year-old German’s mobility and speed. “I think he’s always erring on the side of caution, not wanting to make a mistake.”
