Oilers' Ekholm not available to begin training camp due to injury
The Edmonton Oilers will be without defenceman Mattias Ekholm to begin their training camp.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday morning, general manager Ken Holland confirmed that Ekholm will be unavailable for the time being due to a hip flexor issue. As a result, Philip Broberg will get plenty of reps as he looks to have a breakout season.
Ekholm was acquired by the Oilers during last season’s trade deadline, in a move that saw Tyson Barrie head to the Nashville Predators. The move improved the Oilers’ blue line immensely, as Ekholm proved to be the shutdown presence they needed. He also chipped in offensively much more than expected, as he managed 14 points in 21 regular season games and an additional seven points in 12 playoff outings.
The hope is that Ekholm’s injury isn’t anything serious, as he is one of the most important players on this Oilers roster as they prepare to enter the 2023-24 season. Not only did he give them the defensive presence they needed, but he also did wonders in helping improve Evan Bouchard’s play at even strength.
As for Broberg, this is a huge opportunity for him to step up and impress the Oilers coaching staff. The eighth overall pick from the 2019 draft appeared in a career-high 46 games last season but averaged less than 13 minutes in ice time. Jay Woodcroft recently admitted they are expecting Broberg to make a jump this season, and the Ekholm injury gives him a great opportunity to prove in training camp that he is ready to do just that.
While the Ekholm injury is concerning, he still has plenty of time to recover before the season gets underway. The Oilers first game of the 2023-24 campaign is set for October 11 versus the Vancouver Canucks, while their home opener will take place on October 14 in a rematch against the Canucks.
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