Draisaitl leads Oilers in return to lineup: 'Very impressive for many reasons'
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Oilers superstar forward Leon Draisaitl returned to the lineup in a big way, scoring twice - including the overtime winner - to help Edmonton snap a short losing streak.
Draisaitl played in his first game since Edmonton's 7-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on March 18, having missed the team's last four games with an undisclosed injury.
The performance pushed Draisaitl's lead even further in the NHL goal-scoring race, as he leads Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander by nine goals.
“He was amazing tonight, coming back from an injury and scoring two crucial goals for us," defenceman Darnell Nurse said after the 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.
"He made some amazing defensive plays over the course of the game, he was our leader out there tonight,” Nurse said.
Draisaitl's presence in the lineup was needed even more with the absence of captain and three-time Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid, who is working through a lower-body injury.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters before Saturday's game that it was still undecided whether McDavid would join the team on their upcoming four-game road trip.
That places more pressure on Draisaitl to pick up the slack as the Oilers work toward clinching a playoff spot. They lead the Vancouver Canucks by eight points for the third seed in the Pacific Division after Saturday's action.
“There aren’t many pass-first, consistent 50-goal scorers. He’s one," Nurse said of Draisaitl. “His vision for the game, the way he sees the game, is second to none. On top of that, when you're passing and seeing the game the way he does, find open space and opportunities to get his shot off. And he’s worked on his shot.”
Knoblauch pointed out the significance of the performance to reporters after the game.
"Very impressive for many reasons,” Knoblauch said. “Hadn't played for a week or so and was questionable coming in. In on all three goals and some pretty big plays, key ones, probably the most key was the tying goal coming down the rink and sniping that. I'm sure he garnered a few votes for some hardware after the season.”
Draisaitl has earned one Hart Trophy in his career, following the 2019-20 season. The 29-year-old native of Cologne, Germany has 398 goals and 954 points in 788 career NHL games, all with the Oilers.