EDMONTON – It’s harder to get a straight answer on an injury at this time of year than it is to score on Andrei Vasilevskiy. When it comes to Leon Draisaitl however, here is what we think we know:

His injured knee is well on the mend, and he appears to be within a very reasonable timeline of returning. It probably will not be in time for Game 1 of the playoffs, but watching him skate with the Oilers on Monday morning, he doesn’t look like a player who is two or three weeks away from playing in games.

“We’ll see,” the coy German said on Monday morning. “There are steps I have to follow and certain things I have to be able to do. I’m not there yet right now. We’ll see how that is by the end of the week or whenever Game 1 would be.”

Draisaitl owns a long and proven history of playing through pain and still producing at an elite level while limping through a playoff series. This, however, isn’t something he can play through if it isn’t fully healed.

“There are certain things you can play through and other things where you have to think about your future and the team’s future,” said Draisaitl, who is signed for seven more seasons. “I think our staff and medical staff and myself, we know how to handle this situation. When it’s good to go and when it’s not.”

Asked if Draisaitl could........

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