Fewer defenseman have been more up and down, or in and out with their team in the past season than Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators. A more-than useful blueliner, he was heavily discussed as one of this past season’s trade deadline possibilities for a number of teams. That is, until the Predators found themselves back in the playoff race. Once thought to be a player the Predators might move, the talk is that he’ll not only stick around for the last year of his contract, but possibly sign an extension.
According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required), the 31-year-old, top-four, steady d-man is getting set to work on a possible extension with the team that might have moved him just a few months ago. And, it’s probably a wise decision by the Preds because Ekholm can still make an impact and these playoffs have taught us that big, strong defensemen, who aren’t afraid to take guys out, can be useful.
LeBrun wrote:” Here’s what I do know. Ekholm’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, told me that his client is interested in signing an extension. The feeling is mutual, according to a Preds source.” He doesn’t provide much detail about what an extension might look like –either in salary or term — but he does not that Ekholm is coming off a bargain $3.75-million AAV deal. Even in a flat cap NHL, he’s going to get a sizeable bump in pay.
LeBrun adds, “It’s nice that there’s mutual interest in getting an extension done, but both sides have to agree on what that deal looks like. Negotiations have not begun yet.”
The NHL Expansion Draft May Play a Role
One of the big concerns when the Predators were fielding calls about Ekholm at the deadline was how adding him would affect the acquiring team and their expansion draft plans. Ekholm would have needed to be protected and no team was willing to give up a king’s ransom just for what could have been a rental if he wasn’t protected. If he was protected, the team might lose someone else.
Now, the expansion draft problem that might have been facing another team would be facing the Predators. LeBrun points out that they clearly like their top-four defence core. If the plan is keep Ekholm in the fold, they’ll have to go the eight-skater route to protect four defensemen: Ekholm, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Dante Fabbro.
Otherwise, if the Predators don’t want to lose a forward, they can protect three defenceman, and potentially live with trading one of Josi, Ellis or Fabbro. LeBrun notes, “Both options are on the table at this point.”
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