Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (hip) is expected to make his season debut in Saturday's matchup versus Vancouver. He carried a hip flexor problem throughout the preseason and couldn't make the lineup for Wednesday's season opener against the Canucks, but Ekholm has now recovered and is ready to contribute. Edmonton certainly needs extra help at the back after getting embarrassed with an 8-1 loss Wednesday night. Ekholm will jump straight to the first defensive pairing next to Evan Bouchard, likely replacing Vincent Desharnais in the lineup.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (hip) has hit a roadblock in his recovery and might not be ready for opening night. Ekholm is carrying a hip flexor problem that hasn't allowed him to work with the team in training camp. He joined his teammates for the first time on Friday but admitted that the recovery process was going slower than anticipated. Last week, the Oilers expected to have Ekholm on the ice for at least one reason contest, but the team has just played its final exhibition game. Ekholm's unavailability could also be bad news for Evan Bouchard, who looked like a different player last season after getting paired with the Swedish veteran.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (hip) is close to being ready for action, with the team hoping to have him available to play before the end of the preseason. The veteran blue-liner has missed the start of training camp with a hip flexor problem. Ekholm proved to be a great fit in Edmonton last term when he arrived in an in-season trade from Nashville, notching 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 21 outings. His presence also helped Evan Bouchard to have a very strong finish to the year. Having a full season together could result in something special for the pair.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (hip) is roughly a week away from skating, as per head coach Jay Woodcroft. Ekholm has been held out of training camp to this point due to the hip flexor ailment but the injury doesn't sound remotely close to threatening his status for opening night on Oct. 11 against the Vancouver Canucks. The veteran rear guard was dealt to the Oilers by the Nashville Predators prior to last season's trade deadline and went on to record four goals and 14 points in 21 games with Edmonton after tallying five goals and 18 points across 57 games with the Predators. The defense-first blueliner is a marginal fantasy asset as he has exceeded 35 points just once in his 12-year NHL career.
Mattias Ekholm Misses Start Of Training Camp With Hip Problem
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (hip) won't be available for the start of training camp due to a minor hip flexor injury. General manager Ken Holland has announced that Ekholm may need a few days before he "gets going". The Swedish veteran appears to be dealing with a very minor issue, so this should only be a small bump on the road for him. Ekholm left a great first impression with the Oilers last term following a midseason trade from Nashville, and he should be set for another good campaign as Evan Bouchard's partner on the second defensive pairing.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will make his team debut Wednesday against Toronto after joining the club Tuesday from Nashville. Ekholm is projected to team up with Evan Bouchard on the second defensive pairing. The Swedish blue-liner should also see minutes on the second power-play unit. Ekholm plays a strong defensive game and has also notched 18 points in 57 games this season. His offensive numbers should get a boost on an Oilers team that leads the league with 3.80 goals per game and has elite scorers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl within its ranks.
The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft in exchange for defenseman Tyson Barrie, forward prospect Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Ekholm spent his entire 12-year career with the Predators and was rumored to be on the move as the Predators make significant changes to their roster ahead of Friday's deadline. The 32-year-old defenseman is in the first season of a four-year, $25 million contract that he signed prior to the 2021-22 NHL season, and he has totaled five goals and 18 points through 57 games. Ekholm's move to the highest scoring team in the league gives him added value in deeper fantasy formats.
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm will be back in action on Thursday against the Islanders after missing one game with an illness. Fellow blue-liner Matt Benning (upper body) also returns to the lineup. Ekholm is having a quiet offensive season, as he's managed only five points in 24 games, but the 31-year-old remains a big piece on the blue line. He's averaging the second-most ice time on the team with 23:18 per game. Ekholm will be back on the second defensive pairing with Alexandre Carrier, and we should see him with the second power-play unit as well.
Mattias Ekholm Continues Good Month With An Assist
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm recorded his fifth point of the month with an assist in Thursday's 5-1 loss to Carolina. He helped Nick Cousins get Nashville's consolation goal in the final minutes of the game. Ekholm is averaging close to a point per game this month, and he's set to carry a heavy load in the upcoming weeks with both Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi out with upper-body injuries. Ekholm himself missed some time last month, but he's come back strongly with seven points in eight games. He is up to 10 points for the whole year in 20 outings with 53 shots and 26 blocks. Only two players on the struggling Predators team have managed more points and Ekholm also carries a team-best plus-seven rating.
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm registered a pair of goals to help lead his team to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon. In addition to providing the Preds' only two goals of the contest, the 30-year-old also finished the night with a plus-two rating, four shots and one block in 20:45 of ice time. Ekholm, who dressed for the first time in over two weeks due to an undisclosed injury, now has five points (two goals, three assists), a plus-one rating, 30 shots and 16 blocks through 13 games. Just 18% owned in Yahoo! fantasy leagues, the Swedish rearguard could serve as an intriguing add as a depth defenseman should he continue to mix in some offensive production.
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm has been listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. The Swedish rearguard only skated 11:29 in Tuesday's match-up with the Tampa Bay Lightning before having to leave the contest. The injury news comes as a big loss to a Nashville team that has won just one out of the past six games. Ekholm wasn't off to the greatest start in terms of fantasy production (just three points through 12 games) but eats up big minutes (20:54 per-game) on a strong Predators blueline.
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) made his training camp debut on Wednesday. The Swedish rearguard missed the first two days of camp, but he has plenty of time to get acclimated ahead of the team's season opener on Jan. 14. Ekholm is an unremarkable fantasy asset, but he provides enough counting stats to warrant value in deeper leagues. Fantasy managers can expect around 25 points, 120 shots, and 80 blocks from Ekholm in 2021.
