Edmonton Oilers Lineup Update: Draisaitl Out vs. Canucks | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Takes Over (2026)

The Oilers face a daunting challenge: How do you replace a superstar like Leon Draisaitl? The Edmonton Oilers are set to face the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday without one of their key players, and the team will need to find a way to compensate for his absence.

Due to a family illness, Leon Draisaitl will be taking a leave of absence, returning to Germany to be with his family. This means he'll be unavailable for at least the next week, including tonight's game against the Canucks at Rogers Arena. The announcement was made before the team's pre-game skate on the West Coast. He is expected to return sometime next week during Edmonton's extended eight-game homestand.

What's truly remarkable is Draisaitl's track record against Vancouver. He's been a consistent point producer, recording at least one point in 26 of his last 27 regular-season games against them (23 goals, 21 assists). And this is the part most people miss: While the Canucks have struggled recently, losing their previous nine contests (0-7-2), the Oilers will need to find a way to win without his contribution. But here's where it gets controversial... Can the Oilers actually benefit from this adversity? Some argue that the team becomes too reliant on Draisaitl and McDavid, and his absence could force other players to step up.

Captain Connor McDavid emphasized that family comes first. "Obviously, we'll miss him, but the job comes second," McDavid said. "Everybody in here is a brother, father, son, or whatever, and that stuff comes first. He's got to go home and be with his family, and we're thinking about him and his entire family, so we've got to take care of things while he's done." McDavid also pointed out that Draisaitl's absence presents an opportunity for other players to shine. "You saw it last year when we kind of got hit with the injury bug," McDavid said. "We had some guys step up in a really big way, so obviously, we're looking for the same thing this year with a little bit more opportunity. [Adam Henrique] is out as well, so lots of opportunities for guys to step up and make an impact." This echoes a sentiment often heard in sports: adversity can breed opportunity.

In Draisaitl's absence, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will move up to the second-line center position. It’s great timing for Nugent-Hopkins, as the Burnaby native is set to play his 999th NHL game on Saturday in front of family and friends in his hometown. He will be flanked by Kasperi Kapanen and Trent Frederic. Moving Nugent-Hopkins to center creates a spot on the top line, which will be filled by Vasily Podkolzin, playing alongside Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid. McDavid expressed his excitement about playing with Podkolzin, noting the Russian forward's strong play and work ethic. "Excited about that opportunity to play with him," McDavid said. "I haven't really had that chance before, so something new for him and me. So he's been a great player for us ever since he came into our room. He competes every single night, works so hard, gets pucks back good along the wall, and does a lot of little things that fans don't notice. I'm excited to play with him." Podkolzin has a goal and three assists in his previous six contests and an average ice time of over 15 minutes across his last four.