Ekholm talks Edmonton Oilers future and reveals playoff injury
Connor McDavid isn’t the only integral piece of the Edmonton Oilers entering the final season of his contract.
Though McDavid is rightfully garnering all the chatter, Mattias Ekholm is also set to become a UFA at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. The 35-year-old blueliner has been an incredible addition to the Oilers since being acquired at the 2023 trade deadline.
Though getting up there in age, the Swedish defenceman continues to be a top-pairing option for the Oilers, and is a player they would undoubtedly like to get locked up. The good news for them is that Ekholm sounds very willing to remain in Edmonton past the 2025-26 campaign.
“Do I want to stay in Edmonton? Absolutely,” Ekholm said. “I’m sure there will be discussions about it. You guys are going to talk to a guy [McDavid] in a couple minutes that is the focus right now, and I get that part. I’ve been in the league long enough to know that you take care of the big boys first.”
The usually durable Ekholm struggled to stay healthy last season and was forced to miss nearly the entirety of the first three rounds of the playoffs. Upon his return, it was clear that the left-shot blueliner wasn’t fully healthy, and after plenty of speculation, he finally revealed his injury on Friday morning.
“I had a torn adductor,” Ekholm said. “That’s usually a tough injury when you’re trying to skate. It is what it is.
“It was definitely a challenge that I’ve never had before in my career. Looking back on it, it was difficult at times. Skating is a big part of hockey. It was hard, but no excuse to it, I decided to play.”
Despite his injury struggles, Ekholm’s on-ice results throughout the regular season, both offensively and defensively, continued to remain impressive. While his play this coming season will play a big part in any potential extension, AFP AnalyticsĀ is currently projecting that he’ll sign a two-year extension with a cap hit of just under $6.4 million.