The stage couldn’t be bigger, but the Edmonton Oilers are limping into it. Saturday night’s Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames isn’t just another grudge match—it’s a game with real playoff weight. And for the Oilers, it’s all about who’s healthy and who’s not.
After getting torched 6-1 by the Kraken, Edmonton needs more than just a bounce-back—they need bodies. Connor McDavid’s status remains unclear after missing three straight games with a lower-body injury. “Leon will be back sooner than Connor. We are looking at a week or maybe shorter than that for Leon. Connor will be longer than that,” Kris Knoblauch said earlier this week. But there’s been a positive update since.
Some good news in Edmonton finally—Leon Draisaitl is back. Out with an undisclosed injury for the last four games, he skated in the morning skate and is expected to be in the lineup tonight versus the Flames. He’ll have a home between Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin and bring some much-needed firepower back to the Oilers’ top six, as he looks to get back and further improve on his monster season.
And he’s not coming back cold. Draisaitl leads the league with 49 goals and has 101 points in just 68 games. Edmonton missed him in a huge way, posting a 1-2-1 record without him and losing more ground in the battle for second in the Pacific.
Stuart Skinner? Still day-to-day. The Oilers’ No. 1 goalie could miss another week, so Calvin Pickard will be back in the crease, as per Tony Brar of Oilers TV. Mattias Ekholm is out too, dealing with a lingering issue, though it appears to be only a minor issue. But Trent Frederic’s timeline stretches up to two weeks, as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Knoblauch says Skinner is day to day, could be a week. Frederic as much as a week or two. Not clear yet if 97 is going to be on the road trip. Ekholm lingering issue they’re giving time, Perry may go tonight.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) March 29, 2025
They’ve dropped three of their last four now and are two behind L.A. with an additional game played. The real danger, however? Going into the playoffs bruised. Knoblauch said it himself after the Seattle meltdown: “We didn’t deserve to win. Hopefully, it’s just a one-off.”
The Oilers can still catch the Kings in April—they have two games against them. However, if Draisaitl and McDavid are not at full strength, seeding will be the least of their worries.
The Calgary Flames are banged up too, but not as bad as the Oilers
Calgary’s walking in wounded too. The Flames lost 5-2 to Dallas on Thursday, despite outshooting the Stars 48-19 and having two goals called back. The effort was there—the result wasn’t.
They also lost rookie forward Connor Zary to a scary knee injury after Mikko Rantanen collided into him. It’s the second time this season Zary’s been brought down by a lower-body issue, and there’s no word on his return. However, the Flames aren’t giving up.
Nazem Kadri leads the team with 30 goals and has been unstoppable with seven in his last five games. Jonathan Huberdeau isn’t far behind with 58 points. With three games in hand on the Blues and six points to be made up, Calgary knows exactly what is on the line. They don’t just want this one—they need it.
The Oilers and Flames have shared the season series thus far, but tonight is different. Draisaitl’s availability gives Edmonton optimism, and Calgary’s fight to stay in playoff contention gives the contest playoff spice. The clubs haven’t clashed with this much at stake since their 2022 playoff war.
With McDavid out again, it’s on Draisaitl to lead the charge. With Skinner unable to go, the onus is on Calvin Pickard. Either way, the Oilers can’t afford another no-show. With the playoffs in sight and bodies deteriorating, tonight’s Battle of Alberta isn’t about bragging rights—it’s about survival.
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