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Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Oilers Best to Trade Mattias Ekholm This Offseason

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 8:55 AM ET

While there is no denying that the Florida Panthers are an elite team, one can’t help but wonder how much closer this year’s Stanley Cup Final could have been if the Edmonton Oilers were healthier. They were, of course, without one of their best offensive forwards in Zach Hyman for the entirety of the series, but that was far from their only injury.

Days after the Cup Final had commenced, the Oilers confirmed that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had been playing through a broken hand. What they have yet to come out with, however, is what exactly the injury was that was bothering Mattias Ekholm.

Ekholm was forced to miss a significant stretch of time to close out the 2024-25 regular season and wasn’t able to return until Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. It became evident right away that he was still nowhere near 100 percent health, which makes sense given that he was forced to sit out for so much of the postseason.

Though Ekholm’s quick stats of a goal and five assists through his seven playoff outings suggest he was very good, those who tuned in realize he was far from it. While he did have a few solid games, there were plenty more, specifically late in the Cup Final, where it was clear he was still very banged up. Not only was he struggling against the Panthers’ stars off the rush, but he had some uncharacteristically bad giveaways, which fans haven’t seen from him during his time in Edmonton.

Could This Be the Start of a Downfall?

Though Ekholm was undoubtedly injured in the Cup Final, there is reason to be concerned that this could also just be a player who is no longer capable of playing the heavy and hard minutes he has since arriving in Edmonton during the 2022-23 season.

While Ekholm was a force on the back end during the 2023-24 campaign, his play had dipped prior to his injury during the 2024-25 regular season. By no means was he bad, but he wasn’t the elite, top-pairing defenceman he had been throughout the vast majority of his career.

Some will point to it simply being an off season for the Swedish blueliner, but the fact of the matter is that he is 35 years old. Many players begin seeing a drop in play well before that age, especially ones that play the game as hard as he does.

Ekholm Still Has Plenty of Value

The reason that it may make sense for the Oilers to move Ekholm is that they need to find a way to free up some money. They not only have to re-sign Evan Bouchard and potentially bring back forwards such as Connor Brown and Corey Perry, but they also need to figure out their goaltending situation. They have a ton of players on their roster with no-movement clauses, though Ekholm’s contract has no sort of trade protection whatsoever.

Ekholm is set to enter the final season of a contract that carries a $6 million cap hit. That deal had been a bargain for the Oilers in past seasons, and was still very reasonable in 2024-25. His track record and the fact that there is just one year remaining on the deal would be more than enough to entice teams to make a move for him.

Not only would Edmonton not be forced to retain salary, but they could likely get a solid return for the left-shot defenceman. That option may no longer be on the table partway through the 2025-26 season should he struggle, as other teams would take it as a sure sign that his best days are behind him.

Oilers Have Suitable Replacement

Losing Ekholm would be a tough blow to Oilers fans, who have come to love what he brings to the team, and particularly how he helps elevate the play of Evan Bouchard. It’s important to note, however, that it appears the days of him being a truly elite player are in the past, and the Oilers may have a better internal option to make up for his loss.

That option would be Jake Walman, who the Oilers brought in at this year’s trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks. While Walman isn’t the player Ekholm was in his prime, there is an argument to be made that he’s better now, and he too is on the books next season at just $3.4 million. He’s capable of filling a top-pairing role on the left side, and the Oilers would have a bit of extra money to find another left-shot defenceman should they see fit. Don’t at all be surprised to see Ekholm’s name pop up in trade speculation this summer.