PROJECTED LINEUP: Draisaitl remains a game-time decision ahead of Game 2

VANCOUVER, BC – The Edmonton Oilers and forward Leon Draisaitl are keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to his injury status for Game 2 against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday at Rogers Arena.

“Feeling a little better today,” Draisaitl said to the media after the Oilers’ optional morning practice. "We’ll just see how I feel tonight and leave it at that.”

“They are game-time decisions,” Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. “They will be coming to the rink and probably both partaking in warmups, and then we'll make a decision.”

Draisaitl wasn’t on the ice for the pre-game skate and didn’t participate in yesterday's full-team practice because of an innocuous and undisclosed injury he sustained during Wednesday’s 5-4 defeat, causing him to leave the bench for a brief spell during the second period before returning in the third to conclude the night with 16:37 of ice time and two assists.

The 28-year-old was feeling like a broken record on Friday morning by not disclosing when the injury happened or how much pain he was feeling as an elite player who's proven in previous postseasons that he's able to play through a lot of discomfort to continue competing.

“It's certainly not a big play because otherwise, anyone would’ve seen it," he said. "But again – man, I'm repetitive – I'll leave it at that for now.”

Back in 2022, Draisaitl played on a high-ankle sprain for the majority of the playoffs but was still able to record 17 points in five games against the Calgary Flames in the Second Round in a massive showing of grit and determination by the German.

“Obviously it's an important time of year and we all want to be out there and be playing,” Draisaitl said. “We love being in these moments, so obviously would take a lot, but like I said, we'll see tonight.

"Leo, he battles and he's a warrior and he'll do anything to play," Corey Perry said. "So we'll see how it goes tonight and go from there."

Coach Knoblauch wasn't able to provide a concrete determination on Draisaitl’s status or Adam Henrique ahead of Game 2, with Henrique taking part in Friday’s morning skate despite not taking any line rushes or working in any battle drills 24 hours earlier during practice.

The bench boss said that in addition to considering the long-term health of Draisaitl, it's also important to factor in where his team's at in the series, with Game 2 still being early and the Oilers having some extra time to mull the decision.

But as the team who's trailing 1-0 in the series, not too much time.

“You obviously have to consider his health and his well-being long-term," Knoblauch said. "And those decisions we make, you have to consider his career and then also, the whereabouts we are in the series. It's a Game 2 as opposed to a Game 7, and there are a lot of things to factor in right now. But right now, they'll both come to the rink and we'll make a decision then."

“Yeah, for sure. There's always a little bit of that,” Draisaitl said. “I think no matter what, at the end of the day, it's my body and that's most important. I just be smart about it and take good care of it.”