EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said Wednesday that some of the team's top stars were playing through injuries during their Stanley Cup playoff run.
The Oilers lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers on Monday night.
Knoblauch said Leon Draisaitl had hand and rib injuries that left staff questioning whether he could play, forward Evander Kane had a sports hernia and captain Connor McDavid was also playing hurt.
"Certain times, it was worse than others, but there was games where we were not sure if he was going to play," Knoblauch said of Draisaitl. "But he fought through it and played very well in those games."
Knoblauch declined to disclose what ailment McDavid was dealing with, saying that was best left to the team's medical staff. McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after tallying eight goals and 34 assists during the postseason.
Edmonton had a roller-coaster season that started with a 3-9-1 record and saw head coach Jay Woodcroft get fired with Knoblauch being installed in his place.
Under the new bench boss, the Oilers went on a 16-game win streak and finished second in the Pacific Division with a 49-27-6 record.
"I think we have a good foundation to make a run like this next season and years beyond, but a lot of things have to line up and I am very confident in us having that opportunity," Knoblauch said. "I am not guaranteeing anything, but I think that we have a good team and could be in the same situation and being able to win that last game."
Several players hit major milestones, including McDavid, who had 100 assists, and Zach Hyman, who scored 54 goals.
There are 10 unrestricted free agents on Edmonton's roster, while the Oilers also have decisions to make on a pair of restricted free agents.
The club will also be able to sign extensions with some high-profile players starting Monday, including Draisaitl. But the German star said he hasn't thought extensively about his future.
"I'm obviously going to sit down with my agent here, talk to the Oilers, see what their plan is, see what my plan is and go from there," he said.
"I love being an Oiler more than anything."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.