Feb 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) receives a pass against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Key Oilers Defenseman Out for First-Round of Playoffs

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 1:51 PM ET

The road back to the Stanley Cup Finals is a treacherous one for the Edmonton Oilers. The Western Conference is loaded with talent, and each round will be a battle to win. Their postseason starts with a series against Pacific Division rivals, the Los Angeles Kings.

The road only gets tougher for the Oilers in the early portion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The team will be without top defenseman Mattias Ekholm for at least their first-round series against the Kings. The team's head coach, Kris Knoblauch, recently discussed their plan to rest some of their stars for their remaining regular-season games and the unfortunate update on Ekholm. Oilers' radio color commentator Bob Stauffer shared the updates via his X account.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Trent Federic, Jake Walman, Troy Stecher all will NOT play tonight for the @EdmontonOilers
Mattias Ekholm will be out a while and will miss the 1st Round according to Kris Knoblauch.
RNH, Quinn Huston, Josh Brown will play tonight
— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) April 14, 2025

Ekholm's been hit hard with injuries this season. He was out for two weeks of action before coming back in a recent contest against the San Jose Sharks, only to re-aggravate his injury and leave after 1:52 minutes of ice time.

When in the lineup, Ekholm's been their most impressive two-way defender. In 65 games, he's recorded nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points while averaging 22:12 minutes of ice time.

He's thrived on their top pairing since joining the Oilers at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. Last season, he recorded 11 goals and 34 assists for a career-high 45 points in 79 games and was pivotal in their Stanley Cup Finals run. It's not an exaggeration to say that he's equally as pivotal for another run this year.

Without him, the burden on defenders Darnell Nurse, Jake Walman, and Evan Bouchard grows heavier. Ekholm's defensive presence and penalty-killing success are the best in Edmonton, and none of their other top defensemen can replicate that effectiveness. The team has to fill the void by committee to survive the first round and the Kings.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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