Stecher could make Oilers debut tonight with Ekholm battling illness: report
Troy Stecher could be making his Edmonton Oilers debut tonight.
Mattias Ekholm is fighting an illness and is a game-time decision for tonight’s game, per Daily Faceoff’s Jason Gregor. If he doesn’t play, it’ll likely be Stecher suiting up in his spot.
The Oilers acquired Stecher just before the trade deadline from the Arizona Coyotes. They also received a 2024 seventh-round pick and traded away a 2027 fourth-round selection in the deal.
The 5-foot-10 defenceman has five points in 47 games so far this season. If he does play for the Oilers tonight, it will be the sixth team he has played for across his career thus far.
Ekholm has been one of the team’s better defencemen so far this season. He ranks fifth among all Oilers skaters in total minutes played and has 28 points in 62 games. He’s also +30 on the season thus far.
If the Swedish defenceman doesn’t play tonight, then head coach Kris Knoblauch will have some decisions to make with his defence pairings. Ekholm is left-handed while Stecher is right-handed, meaning that there would be an imbalance on the blue line in terms of handedness.
The good news is that even if Ekholm is unavailable for tonight, it does not seem like he’ll be out of the lineup for long.
Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, the Oilers other two major additions at this year’s trade deadline, have already made their debut for the club. They have played a combined five games and have yet to record any points between them.
The Oilers are hosting the Washington Capitals tonight. The puck drops at 8 pm MDT as the home team looks to solidify its place in the playoff standings. They still have a chance at the Pacific Division crown as they trail the Vancouver Canucks by ten points but have three games in hand. The two teams will meet for one final matchup on April 13.