The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenceman Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators.
Ekholm, 32, is in the first year of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25-million. He has 18 points in 57 games this season playing 21:44 per game. The Predators will retain $250,000 of his salary per season.
“It’s excitement for sure where I am in my stage of my career,” said Ekholm, of joining a roster that includes Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
“They’re already going well. They seem to just need that little extra push over the edge.”
The Oilers send defenceman Tyson Barrie, prospect forward Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round draft pick and fourth rounder in 2024 to the Preds. The Oilers also get a sixth round pick in 2024.
Barrie, 31, played 190 games with the Oilers over parts of three seasons. He helped the Oilers power play become one of the best in NHL history. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024.
Schaefer was taken 32nd overall by the Oilers in 2022. He plays in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Ekholm, who is listed at 6’4″, 215 pounds, has played in 75 playoff games. He was drafted 102nd overall by Nashville in 2009.
“I have a pretty good sense of what it takes to shut guys down in the playoffs,” said Ekholm. “They acquired me for my defence and my defensive side of the puck.”
The Oilers host the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 4:30 p.m., game at 6 p.m.).