Draisaitl not skating as Oilers change up lines ahead of Game 2

Leon Draisaitl was not on the ice at practice with the Edmonton Oilers this morning as the team showed off some new-look forward lines.

The team is coming off a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Canucks last night after blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period. Vancouver now holds a 1-0 series lead heading into Game 2 tomorrow night.

Draisaitl, who left last night’s game in the second period but returned to play in the third period, was not on the ice with the rest of the team. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after the game that his absence was due to cramping and equipment issues and didn’t appear to be serious.

In his absence, Knoblauch ran some new-look lines at practice, with Warren Foegele moving up to the top line next to Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, while Mattias Janmark was bumped back down to the fourth line with Derek Ryan and Connor Brown.

630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer reported the new-look lines from Vancouver.

The @EdmontonOilers in Vancouver:

Foegele-McDavid-Hyman
Kane-Gagner-RNH
Holloway-McLeod-Perry
Janmark-Ryan-Brown
Carrick-Henrique

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Desharnais
Broberg

Skinner
Pickard
Campbell

Not on the ice:
Draisaitl
Stecher

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) May 9, 2024

The fact that Sam Gagner was acting as the second-line centre during line rushes seems to be an encouraging sign that Draisaitl could play tomorrow. It’s unlikely they would slot Gagner, who has yet to get into a playoff game this season, into a top-six role even if Draisaitl was ruled out.

Knoblauch said after practice that Draisaitl is considered “day to day” and a decision on if he will play in Game 2 will be made tomorrow.

Adam Henrique missed last night’s game with a lower-body injury but did skate with the main group this morning. He was not, however, involved in any of the line rushes. This seems to suggest that Henrique could also miss Game 2.

Leon Draisaitl is NOT at practice for the #LetsGoOilers .

Adam Henrique is here. pic.twitter.com/xEGvtpmc7Y

— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) May 9, 2024

Other than Draisaitl’s absence and the Foegele-Janmark swap, it looks like the Oilers will otherwise run the same lineup in Game 2. Stuart Skinner, who had a very strange Game 1, is expected to start in his seventh straight postseason game.

Puck drop for Game 2 is set for tomorrow night at 8 pm MT.

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