As the offseason continues, so does the Edmonton Oilers player report card. Our last transcript ranks Mattias Janmark and we then go to the other Mattias in Mattias Ekholm. The Swedish defender scored nine goals and 33 points in 65 games last season and added six points in seven playoff games. He has remained steady on the blue line since former general manager Ken Holland acquired him before the 2023 trade deadline. That was one of the best moves in the Netherlands against the organization, and this increase helped boost Evan Bouchard’s game.
Usability is the best ability, but Ekholm gets older and this starts to hurt his body. The HR missed 17 regular season games and 15 other playoff games due to undisclosed injuries. He has played no more than 80 games in the regular season since 2018-19, and last season was no different.
Injury plagued Ekholm
Unfortunately, Ekholm was plagued by injury in the second half of the season. He participated in the four-country confrontation in February but was injured in March. The experienced Blueliner missed two weeks in early March and returned to four games before being eliminated again. He then tried to get it out after missing seven games, but recriminating the San Jose Sharks after only 1:52 ice time on April 11 against the San Jose Sharks.
Related: Oiler 2024-25 transcript: Derek Ryan
Rumors he would miss the rest of the season, but he returned to Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars. His addition to the defensive core should provide the spark and make it better. However, he looked different, trying to keep up and took a step forward. They performed well in rounds 2 and 3, but their chemistry was ruined when he arrived. A team won’t keep Ekholm’s ability in motion if healthy, but maybe the Oiler should have it because he doesn’t look right when he’s there.
Ekholm’s overall results
Due to injuries, Ekholm has a hard time grading. Until around Christmas, he was his usual stable presence in the back end. His score is still solid, but he takes a step back in his defensive game. In 2023-24, he was an AUGU, leading the team, but he only had 11 last season. He isn’t as physical as he did in previous seasons, which is a big part of his game. He is a physical guard and makes life for the opposition difficult. In 2023-24, he scored 136 hits in 79 games, compared with 42 of 65 games last season. This can also be attributed to his age, because he is not as fast as before. Although he wasn’t bad in the regular season, he wasn’t great either. So, this 35-year-old Worth a level His regular season performance.
However, despite scoring goals and 6 points in seven games, his playoff performance was worse. He struggled on the defensive end and he had a negative impact on the joining of the defense team. The 6-foot-5-foot-tall, 225-pound man is losing the hockey battle and being defeated. He also made some cruel passes, most obviously in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final. He threw a grenade from Bouchard’s shin pad, which resulted in the goal. The veteran can argue that he played the worst hockey as a hawk in the playoffs in limited games. so, He got D-level.
Comprehensive, He got C-. It’s not his best season, his age and injury are chasing him. He entered the final year of his contract with a $6.25 million hat hit rate, so it’s interesting whether Edmonton will re-sign him with a much lower salary. Father’s time is still undefeated, so time will tell if he has anything left in the tank or ends up nearby.
Will Ekholm rebound this season, or is his return coming soon? Continue to follow Hockey writer As we continue to use the Oiler player transcript throughout the offseason.
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