Draisaitl, 30, had scored his 35th goal of the season that put the Oilers up 1-0 on the Preds before going down after a hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt with under five minutes left in the first period. He would come back for a couple more shifts before the period ended, never seeing the ice again in the second and third.
"Obviously, he's a top-four scorer, one of the most elite players in the League, so it's not like one guy can just step into his shoes," said teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Draisaitl is fourth in the NHL this season in points with 97, putting up 35 goals (T-8th) and 62 assists (4th).
Since 2018, the German superstar has placed in the top 10 in points every single season, putting up at least 100 in six of the last seven (the outlier being the COVID season). Should he not return for the regular season, it will be the first time that Draisaitl has finished a season (60 games minimum) with less than 100 points since the 2017-2018 season, when he finished with 70 in 75 games.
He needed just five more goals to make it 40+ in each of the last five seasons after leading all skaters with 52 just a season ago. With his 62 assists this season, Draisaitl has now recorded at least 50 assists in eight straight seasons.
Edmonton is currently third in the Pacific Division with a 33-26-9 record with 14 games remaining. They have made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, both ending in losses to the Florida Panthers.