When the Oilers traded for Mattias Ekholm back in 2023, he was an immediate fit. He formed a new pairing with up-and-coming defenceman Evan Bouchard, and the Oilers cruised to an incredible 18-2-1 record in the first 21 games of the Ekholm era.

The grizzled veteran provided stability, experience, and stellar two-way results that exceeded expectations. Since his Oiler debut, Ekholm is second in the NHL in plus-minus, at +115 — only MacKinnon’s +123 is better. Sure, plus-minus is an imperfect stat, but if you’ve followed the Oilers with any regularity over the years, you know Ekholm’s is well-earned.

He and Bouchard elevated the top of Edmonton’s lineup, propelling them into the inner circle of Stanley Cup contenders. Last season, however, Ekholm experienced his first major setback with the Oilers when he injured his groin and missed most of their playoff run. He returned nowhere near 100 per cent and couldn’t help the team overcome the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

The same injury that took Ekholm out of action last season had lingering effects at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. His mobility still looked compromised, and his defensive partner, Bouchard, was fighting the puck, which compounded the issue. In October, the Oilers were outscored 14-7 in Ekholm’s minutes, prompting questions about whether the 35-year-old could get back to his pre-injury standard.

Any concerns were put to rest in short order, however. Ekholm’s skating improved, and the Oilers outscored the opposition 77-53 in his minutes the rest of the season. According to HockeyViz, Ekholm was an impactful play driver at both ends of the ice. He ranked six per cent above league average in offensive impact and 11 per cent above average in defensive impact.

On January 26, Ekholm had one of his best games as an Oiler, scoring his first career NHL hat trick and leading the team to a 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Incredibly, it came one game after Bouchard recorded his first hat trick in a week that encapsulated just how key those two players are to Edmonton’s defensive core.

With how impactful Edmonton’s top pair was, the Oilers were fortunate to have both players available for all 82 games this season. It may have taken Ekholm a month or so to get back into form coming off last season’s injury, but he never came out of the lineup, and even felt good enough to play additional games at the IIHF World Championships for Sweden. That’s an encouraging sign for his long-term health.

Next season, Ekholm’s cap hit drops to $4 million as he begins the three-year extension that he signed back in October. He showed last season that he can still hang on the top pair, but Ekholm turned 36 last month. You have to wonder how much longer he can keep this level of play up. And whether Jake Walman can replace him on the top pair if things go sideways.