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Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl takes leave of absence due to family illness
Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Zach Laing
Jan 17, 2026, 14:30 ESTUpdated: Jan 17, 2026, 14:35 EST
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The Edmonton Oilers will be without Leon Draisaitl for the next number of games.
The club announced that Draisaitl would be taking a leave of absence from the team to attend to a family illness in Germany. Draisaitl is expected to return to the team later next week.
“On behalf of Leon, the club asks for privacy at this time,” the team said in a statement.
Draisaitl, 30, has appeared in all 48 of the Oilers’ games this season, scoring 25 goals and 67 points at a 1.4 points-per-game pace, which is up from his career average of 1.22.
Centring the Oilers’ second line, Draisaitl has found success over the last six games with Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin on his wing, with the trio outscoring the opposition 7-3 in 73 minutes of five-on-five ice-time over that stretch.
With Draisaitl out of the lineup, the Oilers have adjusted their lines, Bob Stauffer reported Saturday. Vasily Podkolzin slid up to the Oilers’ top line alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to centre Trent Frederic and Kasperi Kapanen. The third line of Jack Roslovic, Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie is expected to remain the same, while Curtis Lazar, Andrew Mangiapane and Mattias Janmark will make up the fourth line.
The Oilers have a busy schedule through the remainder of January, visiting the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night, and hosting the St. Louis Blues Sunday, with the team set to honour Ryan Nugent-Hopkins playing in his 1,000th game.
Sunday’s game against the Blues kicks off an eight-game home stand, which continues Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils and Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They close out the month hosting the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Minnesota Wild.
They play twice at the start of February, hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 3rd, before visiting the Calgary Flames on the 4th. A two-and-a-half week break will then come as NHL players, including Draisaitl, who will represent Germany, to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Prospect Josh Samanski will join him on the German roster, while Connor McDavid will represent Canada.
Edmonton’s schedule resumes on February 25th, kicking off a three-game in four-night stretch visiting the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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