Key Edmonton Oilers set-ups if Mattias Ekholm is out long-term

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No matter what you think or feel about the Edmonton Oilers’ 2024-25 regular season, they’ve achieved the most important things.

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They made it to the playoffs.

You might think this is a minimum, and I would agree. But there is a reason they play games. Many people who are much smarter than me have coined the phrase “just come in”…see from there to stand out.

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It’s fair to care. Club seasons are usually inconsistent. And the damage has been frustrating. However, between now and June, every other team in the top 16 may not face it.

More in this version…

9 Things

9. After 1,075 NHL regular season games, Jeff Skinner is about to change that after no second game in the playoffs. I’m happy for him. This is the dream of every Canadian kid wearing skates.

8. The Oilers have signed a three-year entry-level contract goalkeeper Samuel Jonsson. Edmonton selected him in the fifth round of 2022. The 6’5 goalkeepers play was 17-6 with GAA of 1.88, and last season, Bik Karlskoga had 0.922 SV%. More signature news in one minute…

7. Matthew Savoie will soon end his AHL regular season at Bakersfield in his first year in the AHL. Statistically, it has been successful, at 18-32-50 in 62GP. Those who often watch him revel in his defense and position awareness (he is +19). Savoie won his fifty points on Saturday with a tough performance after returning from a field injury.

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6. The Edmonton Oilers have had 41 playoff series wins since entering the NHL in 1979. This ranks second among all teams, excluding the initial six franchises. Only the flyers have more (44). Edmonton won his tenth single playoff victory. The six non-original aspects ahead of them are the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and the Stars franchise.

5. There is no chat in Bakersfield, either Evander Kane or Derek Ryan. I have to say: some of them are pure, ignorant conjectures. A clever friend of mine said, “You never know what another person is going through.” In fact, we found Evander and his fiancé Mara Teigen welcomed their third child into the world. The little girl stayed in the ICU for several weeks. Life as a parent’s child is the same start… there is no better reason to go home. Given Derek Ryan’s high record of integrity, you may wish to assume he has good reasons, too.

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4. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sunday in Winnipeg. I know some fans will be angry at the reappearance of Mattias Ekholm and Trent Frederic’s injury and will think that the Oilers somehow “stop Leon back.” Well, some of these things: First, players have a say, especially the veterans. Two, for Ekholm, this doesn’t even hurt the same way, so your argument is unfounded. Third, the medical staff on the NHL team have strict standards and ethical norms. If they might be worse, their chances of making anyone play are between slim and nothing. Shit happened, man. It’s not always someone’s “wrong”. Hey, if Leon doesn’t have another regular season game, I’m fine, either. His phone number.

3. Expect the Oilers to sign an entry-level contract for NCAA star Quinn Hutson Ink this weekend. Hutson is indeed an older sibling to fabulous Canadians defensive player Lane Hutson. Quinn scored 23-27-50 in 37 games at Boston University this season. He is not a particularly big man at 5’11. But his right hand, impressive speed and smooth passing ability are all major. Elite Prospects NCAA Free Player Guide: “He has been constantly evolving into the ideal choice and seems to be reading the show ahead of time. Also, from the same source “always open and ready to fire, Hutson is the goal scorer”. I expect he will report to the Oiler immediately, which will burn his trade for a year and limit his free agents after 2025-26.

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2. OK, not statistically. If Kris Knoblauch chose the Stanley Cup playoff starter based on numbers alone, it would be Calvin Pickard. It’s a big statement when you consider the lovely veteran hockey plug signed a few years ago with a 3-4 organization. You might be forgiven at the time thinking that Picard might never play NHL games. He seems to be on the back of his career. But when Jack Campbell “got bankrupt”, Pickard supported the young Stuart Skinner and never looked back since. Pickard’s 2.63 GAA and .902 SV% outperform Skinner’s 2.91, .894 this season. You might argue that Pickard saved the club’s season with a steady performance. Having said so much, I still believe the club will be Skinner’s number one. I would be surprised if he didn’t start the first game. We will see it.

1. The damage of the Great Mathias Ekholm stabbing. Lack of his experience. His size and gravel. He played this fact in various situations and at the most critical moments in the game. He is on the ice and on the ice. He seemed to have a settlement effect on his most common companion, Evan Bouchard. You can certainly make the argument that, outside of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm is a player that the Edmonton Oilers can’t lose in any time. In my opinion, Ekhlm has been the best two-way defender for the Oiler over the last two and a half years. Losing his time was a blow. But if he plays this season, it’s more than just a broken development.

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But, although yes, it’s bad…the sky didn’t fall. Oilers have the best blue lines in many seasons. That’s and Ekholm. But look: Darnell Nurse has the best two-way season of his career. Evan Bouchard is an elite offensive defender who has performed well throughout the season. He must have been last year. Brett Kulak has proven this season that he can finish the first four minutes in four minutes and is a playoff performer. The acquisition of Jake Walman is imminent. In fact, his presence may be the non-fatal reason for Mattias Ekholm’s damage. He can be on your PK unit. He can compete in the second unit power competition.

I believe the top four of the Oilers team are good. But if Ekholm could start the playoffs, the real challenge now falls into two other guys who might not be on the roster: the tough experienced Troy Stecher and tenacious sophomore Ty Emberson. Stecher is 31 years old and has more than 500 NHL games on his resume. He also played in twenty-one playoff games. And he has been very good lately. This could be a bigger step forward for Ty Emberson, 24. He only has 103 NHL Experience games.

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This will be absorbed by people like Nurse, Wolman and Culak. But this will be Stecher and Emberson, who will be asked to absorb what Kulak gave you in that five spots.

For those two men, the opportunity sounded. In a big and big way.

Newly bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. On Twitter @kurtleavins, threads @kleavins, leavinsonhockey’s Instagram, even on kurtleavins@mstdn.social, even on mastodon. This article is not generated by AI.

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