Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1:
1. Draisaitl effect
All signs are pointing to Draisaitl returning for Game 1. He was ninth scoring this season with 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) in 65 games. He scored 16 power-play goals and averaged 21:35 minutes of ice time.
"It changes our dynamics quite a bit," Knoblauch said. "One with ice time, here is a guy that comes in and plays quite a bit, and it affects everybody else quite a bit. And obviously, it affects the other team with matchups. Now you have two premier players that you really have to worry about and focus on. Adding a player a player like Leon definitely makes a big difference."
Draisaitl began skating on his own two weeks ago and has been practicing with the Oilers since April 13, when they returned from a three-game road trip.
"He's such a big part of the team," defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. "I think we've done a good job without him, but you never want to lose a guy like that. Getting him back would be a great boost for everybody."
2. Never out of a game
The Ducks' 26 comeback wins were tied with the Montreal Canadiens for first in the NHL.
"We said it all year long that we don't want to trust that was the recipe for success," coach Joel Quenneville said. "On a need basis we found ways to come back and score some timely goals, big goals, but we were never out of any game. I would like to play with the lead more this year. We're a team that's had to play catchup in a lot of games and the fact that we can play that game is a good asset to have."
Anaheim won 17 games when trailing by a goal and nine when trailing by two. It had 12 third-period comeback victories, eight from one goal down and four from two goals behind.
"You never want to be down in a game," forward Cutter Gauthier said, "but I'm super confident in our group to have that resiliency and feel in the locker room that we're never out of any game."
3. Special teams
Draisaitl's impending return will have a major effect on the power play. With him in the lineup, the Oilers were first in the NHL (31.9 percent) and he scored 16 of the Oilers 60 power-play goals to that point.
Without Draisaitl, Edmonton's power-play efficiency dropped to 23.5 percent and 1-for-15 from March 16 to April 1. Forwards Matt Savoie, Jack Roslovic and Vasily Podkolzin took turns filling in for Draisaitl on the top unit.
"He's one more guy that we're going to have to be aware of," Quenneville said. "Their power play is going to be enhanced and he's one more guy that is a threat to score. I expect that he'll be somebody we have to be concerned about."
The Ducks were 18.6 percent on the power play (23rd) and 76.4 percent on the penalty kill (tied for 26th). They want to be aggressive against the Oilers but need to be careful not to cross the line.
"Balance is what it is," Quenneville said. "Discipline is a key. You want to initiate, you don't want to retaliate, and you want to keep your sticks down. But you want to play hard, you want to play physical and you have make sure you don't give them as much space as they like, but careless and needless penalties can kill you, especially with the power play they have."
