Oilers sign Mattias Ekholm to three-year extension

The extension, which kicks in next season and runs through the 2028-29 campaign, has a full no-movement clause, according to PuckPedia.

Ekholm, 35, is in the final year of a four-year, $25 million deal with a $6.25 million AAV signed while he was a member of the Nashville Predators. He was acquired by the Oilers ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, with Edmonton sending Tyson Barrie, prospect Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-rounder to the Predators.

The 6-foot-5 blueliner appeared in 65 regular-season games in 2024-25, scoring nine goals and recording 24 assists for 33 points while averaging 22:12 of ice time per game. Injured for most of the playoffs, Ekholm made his debut in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars, then played in all six games during the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, finishing with a goal and five assists for six points.

Now entering his 15th NHL season, Ekholm, a native of Borlange, Sweden, has 86 goals and 274 assists for 360 points in 884 career regular-season games with the Oilers and Predators, averaging 21:44 of ice time in that span.

Ekholm’s best offensive season came in 2023-24 during his first full campaign in Edmonton. He scored 11 goals and recorded 34 assists for 45 points, hitting career highs in both goals and points at the age of 33.

Ekholm has also played in 119 Stanley Cup Playoff games, posting 13 goals and 45 assists for 58 points and reaching the Final three times (2024 and 2025 with the Oilers and 2017 with the Predators).