Just under one year ago, the Edmonton Oilers made a big splash at the trade deadline by acquiring Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators. The cost was quite significant, giving up Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick, and fan favourite Jesse Puljujarvi (in a separate trade to help clear cap space). But did it end up being worth it?
Long story short, this trade was more than worth the price and could very likely go down as one of the better trades in Oilers history. Ekholm was the exact type of defender the team was missing and his presence has done wonders for so many parts of the roster.
Early returns on the deal were promising, but as time has gone on, the numbers have proven to be sustainable.
Ekholm and his fit on the Oilers roster
Immediately upon acquisition, Ekholm was projected to play alongside Evan Bouchard. A presumed chemistry between the solid and reliable defender in Ekholm with the young, offensive-minded Bouchard.
These two have played together a majority of the time since at even strength, with their 1019:18 of ice time being the second most of any Oilers’ defensive pairing since the beginning of 2022–23.
Their impact on the game is noticeable and significant. Since the beginning of 2022–23, according to Natural Stat Trick, of all defensive pairings with over 250 minutes of even strength time on ice, Ekholm and Bouchard rank third in the entire NHL with a 60.27 Corsi for percentage as well as third in expected goals for percentage at 61.96%. They rank 13th in goals for percentage with 64.42% at even strength.
The addition of Ekholm alongside Bouchard gave the Oilers their best defensive pairing since Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson and one of the best pairings they’ve had since the Decade of Darkness began. The two of them are the legitimate number one pairing that Edmonton has desperately needed for a long time.
How the trade impacted Edmonton’s defensive depth
The impact on the Oilers’ defensive depth is also noteworthy. Before this deal, Darnell Nurse was the number one left defender and number one defender on the Oilers’ roster. And since Nurse had better defensive results and was matched better by a player like Cody Ceci on his pairing, it sort of pushed the Nurse-Ceci pairing into being the number one and shoved Bouchard down onto the second pairing.
But the addition of Ekholm gave the Oilers options. They were able to reduce the workload on Nurse and Ceci, which has made them look significantly better this season. Splitting the duties and tough matchups between these two pairings makes all four players better.
Nurse has finally looked solid and reliable and has been able to focus his energy on the things he does best on the ice. Ceci is not having to be relied on as the team’s shutdown defender and facing the toughest competition. And Bouchard is having the best season of his career, one of the best offensive seasons ever by an Oilers defender not named Paul Coffey, and has a case for the Norris Trophy.
The impact on Bouchard’s development
It cannot be understated how the addition of Ekholm has aided and accelerated the development of Bouchard into a top tier NHL defender. In 2022–23 before Ekholm, Bouchard was performing well but he was having a slow offensive season and was prone to defensive mistakes. Normal for a young defender, but also causing some concern for his development.
But as soon as Ekholm joined the Oilers, this seemed to change. Bouchard gained a defensive partner who was able to adapt to and amplify his game. They compliment each other’s games extremely well. Having Ekholm on the ice gives Bouchard the freedom to play his offensive game. Through 50 games, Bouchard has already tied his career high in goals with 12 and set a new career high in points with 48.
The other part of his development on the defensive side has also been quietly improved. He does not make the same mistakes he used to. Partly due to having a responsible defender to help cover him, but also because that same responsible defender has done an exceptional job of teaching Bouchard and helping him grow his game.
What about what was given up in the trade?
It was tough to give up Barrie, who was very well liked in the dressing room, and Schaefer, who was an exciting prospect. But has their performance been good enough for anyone to have second thoughts on this trade?
Since arriving in Nashville, Barrie has played in 59 games and recorded 24 points. But, of note, is that Barrie spent a stretch as a healthy scratch and had already requested a trade back in December as the fit in Nashville just did not work out.
Reid Schaefer, who is spending this season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, has 13 points in 43 games. Solid numbers for a rookie, especially one who was not drafted for his scoring, he was more of a physical talent and power forward from the start.
With the first round draft pick, the Predators selected Tanner Molenyk. He is one of the more intriguing defenders from the 2023 draft class. A fantastic skater with excellent defensive instincts, he could turn into a very good player. And Nashville’s history with defenders gives every indication that he could be an elite player down the road. He currently has 44 points in 36 games with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and would have played in the World Juniors if he were healthy.
Combining the earlier points with Ekholm’s 33 points in 70 games with the Oilers, it’s clear that in the early stages of evaluating this trade, Edmonton has won this deal. Because of the trade sending two futures to Nashville, they might turn out to be the best players in the deal and give the Predators years of strong play. But as of right now, it sits firmly in the Oilers’ favour.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
