It's now official for Leon Draisaitl ahead of Oilers Game 1

This is devastating for an Anaheim team that was expecting the Oilers to be without McDavid'd sidekick.

That's the story out of Edmonton on Sunday after Draisaitl jumped back into practice at full speed and looked ready for the opener against the Anaheim Ducks.

He has been working back from the lower-body injury he suffered on March 15, 2026, and the timing could not be bigger for Edmonton.

This was not a light skate or a player just testing things. Draisaitl was back with the Oilers' top power play unit, which is the clearest sign that the group is being put back together for real.

For Knoblauch, that changes the entire look of his bench. Edmonton is not just getting a star scorer back. The club is getting one of its drivers in every key offensive spot.

That matters most on special teams, where Draisaitl's touch around the left circle and his ability to slow the game down can swing a playoff night fast.

Ryan Rishaug's practice update said plenty without dressing it up. Draisaitl was “flying around again,” and that kind of read matters this close to puck drop.

You could see the pace in the way he pushed through drills and snapped into his usual areas on the man advantage. It did not look like a player dragging his way toward clearance.

Rishaug also noted that Dickinson was back and centering his own line, another sign Edmonton may be walking into Game 1 with a full lineup.

That creates a ripple through the entire forward group.

Connor McDavid gets more support, the top six settles down, and the Oilers do not have to force roles on opening night.

The Ducks were already staring at a hard matchup because of Edmonton's speed and skill off the rush. Putting Draisaitl back into the mix raises the heat right away.

There is still a difference between Sunday's practice and playoff traffic around the crease. But Edmonton did not need a perfect forecast. It needed one strong sign.

It got that sign from Leon Draisaitl, and that is the kind of development that can tilt a series before Game 1 is even played.

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