Edmonton Oilers' Kapanen shouted out Draisaitl family in heartwarming moment
The Edmonton Oilers got back into the win column on Saturday night with a blowout 6-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks, and they did it without one of their stars.
Leon Draisaitl was not on the ice with his teammates during the big win. Earlier in the day, the Oilers announced that Draisaitl would be taking a leave of absence from the team as he flew back to Germany to attend to a family illness.
The news was not great for an Oilers club fighting for a division title, but nobody was upset that Draisaitl needed to be back with his family.
It seemed like Edmonton wanted to put their best foot forward without him, as they dominated the Canucks in just about every aspect. Kasperi Kapanen may have been the Oilers’ best player, scoring two goals on the night.
After the victory, Kapanen shouted out Draisaitl and his family while talking to reporters.
“We miss Leo, and we wish him the best to him and his family,” Kapanen said. “Obviously, [they are] going through a lot, so [we are] playing for him as well.”
“Everybody is stepping up.”
Kasperi Kapanen checks in after a two-goal night as the #Oilers shut out the Canucks 6-0.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Lj9rTKi1Qt
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 18, 2026
Not only is Kapanen a teammate of Draisaitl, but he’s also been his linemate since returning to the Oilers lineup earlier this month. He’s excelled in that second-line role with three goals and seven points in seven games.
We do not know the entire situation that Draisaitl is attending to, except that it’s an illness in the family. Further details are unlikely to be disclosed, as the Oilers have requested privacy concerning the matter.
Regardless, it’s clear that his Oilers teammates know more about the situation and are fully behind Draisaitl as he goes through a difficult time. It’s been an emotional week for the German superstar, who just recently celebrated reaching 1,000 NHL points in front of a thunderous Rogers Place crowd.
Leon Draisaitl is honoured for hitting the 1,000 point milestone 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/6tOZXtzlGr
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 11, 2026
Though Draisaitl is a big part of Edmonton’s offence, the depth players came alive in Vancouver. Both Kapanen and Jack Roslovic netted two goals, and Vasily Podkolzin got another. Tristan Jarry was perfect between the pipes, stopping all 31 shots he faced to secure his first shutout with the Oilers.
A timeline on when Draisaitl could return to the Edmonton lineup has not yet been revealed, but it appears the Oilers will continue to play for him for however long it takes.