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Through 71 games of their 2019-20 schedule, the Edmonton Oilers were on track to erase back-to-back seasons of futility and qualify for the playoffs before everything came to a halt.
Superstar forward Leon Draisaitl says the coronavirus-induced stoppage couldn't have come at a worse time for his club's momentum.
"It’s definitely bad timing, no question," Draisaitl told Sportsnet's Tim & Sid on Thursday. "More so for our team, I think, other than maybe the last game we were in a good run and we were on a really good way to clinch a playoff spot."
"We felt good about it, we felt good about our game, and then it was obviously terrible timing," he added. "But, again, I think we all agree that the health of people and the health of the world is just more important at this moment, so I think that the right decisions were made at that point."
The NHL was shut down on March 12 with Edmonton owning a 37-25-9 record, good enough for second in the Pacific Division at 83 points. The Oilers had earned a 93.3% chance of qualifying for the postseason with 11 games remaining, according to Money Puck.
On top of management and coaching changes, Draisaitl has played a massive role in the Oilers' turnaround this season. The 24-year-old is the front-runner to win the Hart Trophy, and he holds a considerable lead in the Art Ross race too with 110 points.
Edmonton has made the playoffs once during the Draisaitl-Connor McDavid era, a run that ended in Game 7 of the second round in 2016-17 versus the Anaheim Ducks.
