The Edmonton Oilers begin their first-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. FRiday, the team took the ice for their first post-regular season practice and Leon Draisaitl was taking regular rushes, wearing a white jersey and skating with Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen. By most accounts, he looked like a player ready to suit up for Game 1.

The media spoke during the skate and, as a group, chose not to interview Draisaitl. The reason? Why would he confirm anything with a few days to go before the series, essentially committing to something (one way or another) that neither the team nor the player were ready to commit to. Instead, he'll speak Sunday.

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In the meantime, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch provided an injury update as best he could without giving anything away. 

He said what the media and most fans probably assumed he'd say.

“Same plan as before, just going day by day,” Knoblauch noted. “I anticipate him joining us sometime in the first round, whether it's Game 1, Game 4 or Game 5, whatever it is, but right now, it's just day by day.”

Make no mistake, however. He looks ready. He's been pushing his workouts and testing his stamina. He looks like he's at full speed and even Knoblauch admitted when he saw Draisaitl take the ice a couple weeks ago, he looked good then too.

“We’re getting him game-ready as much as possible, and to do that, we’re putting him with players he would most likely play with," said Knoblauch. "Before, we had extra guys, but now we’re pretty much down to 13 forwards, so we don’t have a lot of extras."

"It’s about getting him playing with guys he’s usually with. He spent a lot of time with Pods and Kaps this year, and certainly last year, too. At some point during the playoffs, that will most likely be a line. That’s my reasoning for putting them together.”

But, this isn't something the player or the organization want to push. Given the extra day to prepare for their series with the Ducks, it gives Edmonton a slightly bigger window to take their time. Both sides might even have him sit Game 1 as a precautionary measure. If the Oilers can get out to a lead in the series, the urgency to get him in goes down. 

Draisaitl suffered a lower body injury in March, during a game against the Nashville Predators. He missed the entire remaining regular season, finishing with 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) in 65 games. Clearly, the Oilers could use him. At the same time, the team is playing solid hockey and winning games without him. If they can continue to manage and ensure he's 100 percent in the later rounds, they might try. 

Then again, Draisaitl is a competitor. He's clearly testing the boundaries of what his body can handle because he wants to get in. He wants to be an impact player and a difference-maker when the games matter. 

“The expectation is to win the Stanley Cup,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. Everyone in the room feels the same way. 

“The expectation is the same as always,” added Connor McDavid. “We’ve got a great belief in here. Playoff hockey is unique. It’s a skill to win in the playoffs, and we feel pretty good about having that skill, having been there and winning a lot of playoff games. That being said, it’s exciting for everybody and we’ve got to be ready to roll.”

Perhaps no Oiler knows more about mentaly preparing for the playoffs than Draisaitl. 

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