How Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm has been so valuable to the team

One of the best trades in modern Edmonton Oilers history came on Feb. 28, 2023.

On that day, then-general manager Ken Holland sent a boatload of young assets to the Nashville Predators for a bona fide No. 1 defenceman: Mattias Ekholm.

Since arriving, Ekholm has been money, showcasing his impressive range of skills and intelligent play.

His reputation is so strong that fans don’t spend much time on his (relatively few) mistakes. Against the New York Islanders earlier this week, Ekholm bit on a play at his own blue line and that decision created a two-on-one and a goal against.

Late in the same game, Ekholm was positioned in front of the net and ideally situated to either intercept the puck or block out the shooter. He stumbled, and the game was tied heading to overtime.

Fans were unfazed, and their faith was rewarded the same night.

In overtime, Edmonton scored after Ekholm skated the on-ice Islanders ragged on a play that was key to the game-winner. The winning goal took place mere seconds after he made it to the bench.

Oilers fans are an educated hockey group, and vocal in their support when warranted.

Ekholm’s status in Edmonton hasn’t been matched by a mid-career defensive acquisition since Chris Pronger in 2005. Thankfully for Oilers fans, Ekholm’s time in the city has been longer term.

How good is Ekholm? Let’s look at the numbers.

Eye-popping numbers

Ekholm has been a leader of the pack in Edmonton since arriving at the 2023 deadline.

All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick

The upgrade on defence after the trade is clearly laid out in this table.

Darnell Nurse leads in time on ice each game, and that’s an important statistic. Nurse is trusted by his coach and was the No. 1 defenceman on the team before Ekholm arrived.

Since the trade with Nashville, Ekholm’s ice time is heavy and his results are exceptional. We are talking about a five-on-five goal share that ranks No. 3 among all NHL defenders in the last three seasons.

Little wonder Oilers fans look past the odd misstep or decision.

With and without Bouchard and McDavid

There’s an ongoing conversation since the fall of 2015 that questions strong five-on-five performances by Edmonton’s defencemen.

The conversation surrounds numbers with and without captain Connor McDavid.

In Ekholm’s case, with and without Evan Bouchard is also worth checking out, mostly because Bouchard is often regarded as a lightweight as an on-ice outscorer at five-on-five.

Here are the numbers since 2023-24 for all involved.

All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick

This is a parade of brilliance, no matter his partner or linemates.

The chief takeaway in these numbers is this: Ekholm with Bouchard, deployed with the McDavid line, represents peak Oilers at five-on-five during the last decade. This pairing shreds opponents at five-on-five.

As tempting as it might be to break up the top pairing, it’s a fool’s game based on results.

Offence and special teams

Overall, Ekhom is averaging 0.60 points per game with Edmonton. That’s a solid number for a defenceman, especially a blueliner who doesn’t play prominent minutes on the power play.

Since he arrived with the Oilers, Ekhom’s five-on-five points per 60 (1.66) is the No. 1 total among Edmonton’s defencemen, exceeding even Bouchard (1.38) in the category.

He has spent just over 100 minutes on the power play since coming to Edmonton; the numbers are solid but fade compared to Bouchard’s mind-blowing success in the game state.

Ekholm is a mainstay on the penalty kill and is either the leader or close in all main categories (GA/60, xGA/60) in his time with the team.

Age, erosion and contract

Ekholm will turn 35 in May and has played in almost 1,000 NHL games (including playoffs) during his impressive career.

Injuries and drops in performance often take place when a player reaches these milestones.

Ekholm has been durable since arriving with the Oilers, losing two games to a hip issue and another to illness a year ago.

His on-ice performance with the team was at a high level in his first game and continues to be exceptional.

Value to the team

The biggest wonder about Ekholm surrounds Nashville’s willingness to deal him. He played in the shadow of Roman Josi and other Predators during his time with Nashville, so was always regarded as a strong complementary piece for the team.

He is, in fact, a feature player.

For Oilers management, Ekholm solved a major issue that the team had been working to solve since Oscar Klefbom’s career-ending difficulties in 2020. He stepped in to an important role and elevated the entire defence immediately.

He also showed more offensive ability than had been anticipated. Ekholm’s shot is powerful and accurate, he can slide into the high slot to convert passes into goals, plus has playmaking and transporting skills that are above average.

The big man is also a capable skater. NHL Edge rates his top skating speed in the 54th percentile, his bursts over 32 KPH in the 80th percentile and his skating distance (sustain) in the 87th percentile.

Like all great defencemen, Ekholm does everything so smoothly that it’s easy to overlook his contributions to wins.

Aside from his own performance, he has mentored Bouchard and helped him develop into the impact defenceman expected on his draft day.

Ekholm’s increased minutes overall, and specifically against elite competition, have allowed coaches to ease the burden for Nurse and his defensive partners.

Here’s a breakdown of performance this season against each level of competition.

All numbers five-on-five, via Puck IQ

That’s an exceptional player card. Ekholm is playing big minutes and delivering elite results no matter the competition.

When discussing this Oilers team, the inner circle of top-end talent always includes McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard.

Ekholm was acquired later in his career and he’s an outlier in specific superfluous ways.

No one who has watched the Oilers in these last two-plus seasons can reasonably argue Ekholm should be considered anything but vital to team success.

(Photo: Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)