Stecher Shafted, But Oilers D-Man Has Unreal Reaction to Ekholm Return

The type of attitude that Troy Stecher exudes is what championship teams are made of. After coming into the lineup for Ty Emberson, Stecher has been nothing short of incredible for the Edmonton Oilers — a reliable, steady depth defenseman who wasn’t expected to do much, but has exceeded expectations at every turn. Still, when Mattias Ekholm is ready to play, Stecher will likely come out of the lineup. He’s cool with it.

In fact, he’s not just okay with it; he wants it. More important to Stecher than playing big minutes is being on a championship team.

“Whether it’s tomorrow or the next game or whatever it is, I’m happy with my body and the way I feel,” Ekholm said. “Really excited about where the team’s at and how they’re playing.” As per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Stecher was asked about Ekholm’s imminent return and responded, “He’s a better player than I am. That’s just the reality of the world.” It’s the ultimate display of team-first attitude. “Obviously I want to be in the lineup … I’m going to do everything in my power to prove to the coaches I deserve to play,” said the 31-year-old defenseman. “But the most important thing is just winning hockey games.”

Ekholm’s Return Seems Almost Unfair, But It’s a Big Boost

Ekholm’s presence would be a huge boost for the Edmonton Oilers, but his looming return almost feels unfair to a player like Stecher. He’s not done anything wrong, and truth be told, if the Oilers could find a way to play him, they probably would. The only real option is going 11-7, but that might not be best given the way Edmonton rolls four lines and all of their forwards.