It has been a while since the last time Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm saw action on the ice. The veteran blue liner continues to be sidelined because of an undisclosed health issue, as he has not played a game yet in the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ekholm, who last skated in a game during an April 11 game against the San Jose Sharks at home, is not expected to see action in the remaining games of Edmonton’ second-round date in the playoffs with the Vegas Golden Knights. But Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said that the door is still open for Ekholm’s return should the team get the job done versus Vegas.
“Mattias has been on the ice for light skates,” Knoblauch said (via Derek Van Diest of NHL.com). “He will not be joining us this series. We’re hopeful that he can join us next series if we can get to that.”
Traded by the Nashville Predators to the Oilers in 2023 along with a 2024 sixth-round pick, the 34-year-old Ekholm scored nine goals and recorded 24 assists with a plus-11 in 65 games during the regular season.
There doesn’t seem to be an urgent need for the Oilers to rush Ekholm back. Edmonton is currently dominating the Golden Knights series, winning three of the first four games, including its 3-0 victory on Monday at home.
Hart Memorial Trophy winners Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been beyond impressive in putting the Oilers on their backs in the playoffs. McDavid leads Edmonton in the postseason with 17 points on three goals and 14 assists, while Draisaitl is right behind him with 15 points on five goals and 10 assists through 10 games.
While Ekholm is out, the Oilers have heavily deployed the defensive pairing of Jake Walman and John Klingberg, which leads the team in minutes together among defensemen with 93.8 minutes on the ice. While the Walman-Klingberg pair has a 3.2 expected goals for in the playoffs, that same duo has an expected goals for of 6.8 when it’s on the ice.
