Oilers trading Barrie for Ekholm looks like an absolute steal one year later
Trading in the NHL is risky, but the Edmonton Oilers look like absolute bandits one year after sending defenceman Tyson Barrie to the Nashville Predators for Mattias Ekholm.
The trade happened in the days leading up to the 2023 trade deadline and included the Oilers giving up Barrie, top prospect Reid Schafer, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
At the time, the trade was generally seen as an improvement for the team, with the veteran Swede bringing a much more responsible defensive game than what Barrie provided. Yet, some people weren’t completely sold on the move.
Barrie was quarter-backing a historic power play until then and was beloved by his teammates. There was a worry that shipping off Barrie could potentially disrupt critical parts of the team. It turns out that none of that wound up to be true.
This is Mattias Ekholm's game now pic.twitter.com/FKffiG8kyA
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 22, 2024
In the 89 games that Ekholm has played with the Oilers since that trade, he has 11 goals and 49 points, while also having an astounding +62 while on the ice. In total, Ekholm has been on the ice for 138 goals for and just 83 goals against.
Ekholm’s ability to stifle opposing offences has been invaluable to the team and you cannot deny that he is a much better defensive player than Barrie ever was. But still, what about the power play? Barrie had been the de-facto point man on Edmonton’s historic power play and, while Ekholm was arguably a much more complete player, he wasn’t the type to step onto the power play.
This is where Evan Bouchard comes into play. At the time, a 23-year-old Bouchard was meandering along with three goals and 21 points through 61 games. It was a stark drop-off from his 43-point rookie season.
That said, Bouchard was drafted for his offensive skillset and had shown glimpses of that in his rookie season. The problem was he was playing behind a veteran with a similar play style in Barrie. He was being blocked from reaching his true potential, and with Barrie now in Nashville, it was his time to shine. And boy did he ever.
Bouchard went on a tear in the final stretch of the season and led all NHL defencemen in points in the playoffs despite being eliminated in the second round. This season has seen the offence explode as Bouchard now sits with 15 goals and 72 points through 70 games. Only Paul Coffey has had a more productive season from an Oilers’ blueline.
EDM LAK G56. February 26, 2024. Evan Bouchard goal. 3-2.🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/SctqaNvzwO
— Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) February 27, 2024
On the other side, in Nashville, the pieces that the Oilers gave up in the trade have been sputtering. Barrie has regressed to just a single goal and 14 points this season and has become a regular healthy scratch with just 40 games played.
While Schafer is still just 20, he hasn’t exactly lit up the AHL in his first professional season either. He’s got five goals and 16 points with the Milwaukee Admirals. The first-round pick given to the Predators was used on Tanner Molendyk, who looks promising but is a few years away from making his way to the NHL.
For an Oilers team looking to win now, this trade seems to be one of the better ones pulled by any team in the league over the past few seasons. It has completely changed the dynamic of their blueline and allowed them to unlock the potential of one of their most promising young players.
When all is said and done, it might be Ken Holland’s best move ever made as Oilers GM.
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