Oilers, Kings Clash as McDavid and Draisaitl Return for Playoffs

LOS ANGELES — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will make their anticipated return to the ice on Monday as the Edmonton Oilers face the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round at Crypto.com Arena. Puck drop is set for 10 p.m. ET.

This will mark the first time both forwards have suited up together since March 18, 2025. Draisaitl has been sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained during a game against the San Jose Sharks on April 3, causing him to miss the final seven games of the regular season. He finished the season strong, winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy with 52 goals in 71 games.

McDavid, who has been instrumental in the Oilers’ success, returned to play in four of the last five regular-season games following an eight-game absence due to his own lower-body injury. The 2023 Hart Trophy winner achieved 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) in just 67 games this season.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that Edmonton and Los Angeles face off in the playoffs’ first round, with the Oilers winning all three previous matchups. However, this time, Edmonton does not have home-ice advantage, finishing four points behind the Kings in the Pacific Division.

Los Angeles dominated the Oilers during the regular season, winning three of their four encounters. Among those victories was a pivotal 4-3 overtime win on December 28 and a decisive 5-0 defeat of the Oilers on April 14. Edmonton managed to secure one win at home, a narrow 1-0 victory on January 13.

In the lead-up to Game 1, both teams are adjusting their lineups. Forward Trent Frederic returns for Edmonton after missing the last three regular-season games due to an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Darnell Nurse will also play, having sat out the last five games due to an undisclosed issue. Coach Kris Knoblauch indicated that Frederic’s participation is uncertain until game time.

On the Kings’ side, goalie Darcy Kuemper will start. This marks the fourth different netminder Los Angeles has fielded against the Oilers in the last four playoff seasons, demonstrating a trend of inconsistency in their goalkeeping position. Kuemper has had a solid season with a record of 31-11-7, posting a 2.02 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage over 50 games.

Los Angeles’ forward Adrian Kempe highlighted the importance of experience in this series, saying, “We know them better and better every year. The past three seasons haven’t been good enough, but I think this is the best team we’ve had since maybe I got here (2016-17).”

Despite injury setbacks, both teams possess potent scoring capabilities. Edmonton’s McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for 66 points (25 goals, 41 assists) in 18 playoff games against Los Angeles, showcasing their postseason prowess.

As the series begins, a key focus will be the Kings’ mentioned struggles with the power play, ranking 27th in the NHL during the regular season with only 17.9 percent efficiency. The Oilers, in contrast, found themselves ranked 12th with a 23.7 percent success rate.

The stakes are high as both teams vie for playoff success, with Edmonton looking to extend its dominance and Los Angeles hoping to turn the tide in their favor. As the anticipation builds for Game 1, fans eagerly await to see which team will take the lead in this heated rivalry.