As the Edmonton Oilers await their round one playoff opponent, they are waiting to see who is going to be healthy and who isn’t. They seem to have run into some injury issues at the worst possible time, but remain confident in their ability to finally win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
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In this edition of Oilers News and Rumours, we take a look at some injury updates on Max Jones, Jason Dickinson, and Leon Draisaitl. On top of that, we take a look at the recall of forward Isaac Howard and his performance against the Colorado Avalanche.
Jones Out Long-Term, Dickinson Injured, Draisaitl Update
Forward Max Jones has played well since being called up from the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Bakersfield Condors, but it was recently revealed that he would miss some time with an injury.
On top of that, head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned that forward Jason Dickinson would not play the final two games of the regular season and would be reevaluated.
Lastly, he added that Leon Draisaitl is expected back at some point in the first round of the playoffs but hinted that it might not be for the first game.
Max Jones will be out 3-4 weeks according to Kris Knoblauch. He says Jason Dickinson will not play the final 2 games of the regular season & then be reevaluated.
— Tom Gazzola (@TomGazzola) April 13, 2026
Knoblauch adds that Leon Draisaitl is expected sometime in round 1 of playoffs while Zach Hyman is out tonight.
All three of them are huge parts of the Oilers’ forward depth, and while they are all expected back at some point in the playoffs, not having them to start is a tough blow to their lineup.
Isaac Howard Recalled & Has Strong Game, Coach Questioned
Before playing against the Avalanche, the Oilers announced that they had recalled forward Isaac Howard, as they continue dealing with injury issues, and immediately placed him in their top-six forward group.
The #Oilers have recalled forward Isaac Howard from the @Condors. The first-year pro has scored 22 goals & 25 assists in 45 games with Bakersfield this season. pic.twitter.com/gywZGykSXV
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 12, 2026
Similar to how they handled Matthew Savoie last season, the Oilers called Howard up and immediately put him in their top six, giving him an opportunity to play alongside two solid players, and seeing what he can do in that role. While he didn’t get on the score sheet, Howard played a solid game overall in the limited ice time he was given.
In a post-game article from The Hockey Writers’ own Matt Parks, he mentioned that Knoblauch “misused” Howard, stating: “[Howard] was slotted on the second line alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic. However, knowing head coach Kris Knoblauch, that meant nothing. The 22-year-old still finished the game with only 9:56 of ice time. He started the game great, registering three shots in the first period, his only shots of the contest. He was moving his feet and getting to the net. That was arguably his best period in the NHL. Unfortunately, Knoblauch didn’t reward him for his efforts.”
Parks went on to criticize Knoblauch, as many fans have done all season, saying: “This has been a theme with the Oilers’ bench boss. He relies too much on his veterans and doesn’t provide enough opportunities for young players. Howard should play more than Adam Henrique at this stage of his career. Howard is a skilled offensive player, but he hasn’t been allowed to show it. With key players injured, this was the ideal opportunity to provide him more minutes in various situations, but Knoblauch failed to do so.”
This has been a common theme for Knoblauch this season, with fans unhappy at his ability to utilize Howard or Quinn Hutson more. Next season should be different, but it remains an issue for fans right now.
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