Player Discussion Mattias Ekholm

[PULSATING]

He strikes me as a very headsmart type of player too.

Which head?

 

[McFlyingV]

It's not uncommon for big defensemen that play his style to continue to play well into their late thirties so I'm not overly concerned about the rest of his contract.

Agreed. He plays heavy hockey, but not recklessly. It's usually the guys who are reckless and rely on big aggressive physical play that fade fast when their skating goes/injuries pile up. Ekholm plays heavy but he does it in a positionally sound and smart way. He's very good at identifying where danger is and putting himself in position to not get beat from his lack of foot speed. He also has pretty good hockey IQ in the offensive zone, a heavy shot, and enough smarts to know when to defer to more skilled players on the ice like his D partner.

 

[bone]

He strikes me as a very headsmart type of player too.

Precisely. He isn't one of those types that relies on any specific skillsets like elite skating, an elite shot, or extremely physical/violent play to make himself stand out from the crowd.

He's effective because he's big and smart and hasn't missed many games due to injury in his career because he plays a pretty straight forward game. Those types can easily be effective until they are at least 35 and he doesn't turn 36 until the final 6 weeks of his contract.

 

[TheSuperElite]

Love Ekholm so, so, so much. I love you Matthias. Hope you read this.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

If he was like 10% more offensive (and he seems to have turned it up) he's basically the classic well-rounded #1D. That 45-55 points, responsible with the BIG on-ice presence. The presence being the true measure. Main thing he misses is a bomb of a shot.

 

[Faelko]

He deserves some Norris votes. He obviously won’t win due to his point totals but still….

 

[trojansoilers]

57 points and +68 in 94 regular season games since the Viking joined the Oilers
Dare I say, he’s the best all around dman we’ve had since Pronger?

 

[ManofSteel55]

Ekholm for Norris.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

One of the best trades in Oilers history. Hopefully he has a few years left in him!

 

[bobbythebrain]

"I'm worried Bouchard is rubbing off on him, and not the other way around"- someone who knows hockey

 

[bobbythebrain]

Ekholm for Norris.

If he played all year like the last 15 games, he'd be a lock AINEC. Just happy he's leveled up for the playoffs. he's a force right now

 

[guymez]

Ekholm breaks down the hit on Rantenen and also perfectly explains why he didnt fight.
Hopefully Nurse was listening and (in the future) starts to read the game situation first before just reacting.

 

[bone]

Though Ekholm wouldn't ever say it, I think the biggest reason he never would have taken that fight is that he's Edmonton's best defenseman and Jack Johnson is at best their 5th defenseman. Totally advantage Colorado if that fight happens allowing their top players a few shifts without any concern about facing him.

Would they want to have Makar spend 5 or more minutes in the box with Kulak?

 

[K1984]

57 points and +68 in 94 regular season games since the Viking joined the Oilers
Dare I say, he’s the best all around dman we’ve had since Pronger?

Over the last two weeks or so he's pretty much been playing at a Pronger level.

 

[guymez]

Over the last two weeks or so he's pretty much been playing at a Pronger level.

He would be nothing without Bouchard.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

He would be nothing without Bouchard.

He’d probably score 100 points if Bouchard wasn’t blocking him from the powerplay

 

[McFlyingV]

If he was like 10% more offensive (and he seems to have turned it up) he's basically the classic well-rounded #1D. That 45-55 points, responsible with the BIG on-ice presence. The presence being the true measure. Main thing he misses is a bomb of a shot.

He kind of does have a bomb of a shot though. He's shown it on several of the goals he's scored in Edmonton. If anything he doesn't use it enough because he defers to Bouchard who is a more elite offensive talent with the shot that seemingly always gets to the net, and better overall vision and playmaking. If anything I think the only thing missing from Ekholm being an elite offensive force is his vision/playmaking and his foot speed. He's very well rounded in every aspect of the game, but not elite in some of those offensive areas.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

He kind of does have a bomb of a shot though. He's shown it on several of the goals he's scored in Edmonton. If anything he doesn't use it enough because he defers to Bouchard who is a more elite offensive talent with the shot that seemingly always gets to the net, and better overall vision and playmaking. If anything I think the only thing missing from Ekholm being an elite offensive force is his vision/playmaking and his foot speed. He's very well rounded in every aspect of the game, but not elite in some of those offensive areas.

Ekholm seems to be jumping into the play more and more with Bouchard earning his trust defensively it seems.

He’s got a rocket of a slap shot, kinda reminds me of the klefbomb

 

[Canovin]

Ekholm is everything we wanted Nurse to become aside from fighting

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Ekholm is everything we wanted Nurse to become aside from fighting

I mean I would love if Ekholm could skate like Nurse too. He's been amazing, great trade from Holland. It cost Reid Schafer and a 1st (and Barrie for cap reasons) amazing value.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I mean I would love if Ekholm could skate like Nurse too. He's been amazing, great trade from Holland. It cost Reid Schafer and a 1st (and Barrie for cap reasons) amazing value.

The best part of the trade was watching a couple oiler posters think ekholm and barrie were comparable levels of players

 

[ManofSteel55]

Though Ekholm wouldn't ever say it, I think the biggest reason he never would have taken that fight is that he's Edmonton's best defenseman and Jack Johnson is at best their 5th defenseman. Totally advantage Colorado if that fight happens allowing their top players a few shifts without any concern about facing him.

Would they want to have Makar spend 5 or more minutes in the box with Kulak?

This is the type of thing they probably say on the ice to the other player trying to fight. You hear it all the time in junior hockey, things like "Who are you? Why would I fight you?" or "You're lucky to be here and I make a difference. Send someone important".

It's quite hilarious really.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The best part of the trade was watching a couple oiler posters think ekholm and barrie were comparable levels of players

Seeing the social media whine fest was good too. "But we traded a first rounder and a better defeneseman? Look at the points!"

 

[K1984]

The best part of the trade was watching a couple oiler posters think ekholm and barrie were comparable levels of players

Or people fretting that the power play would fall apart as if Barrie of all players was the cog there.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Or people fretting that the power play would fall apart as if Barrie of all players was the cog there.

I'll admit, I was worried about it, not due to Barrie being the only possible guy who could fill that role, but whether or not Bouchard could do it, as in the past he seemed to have some trouble holding the line in the offensive zone at times. Thankfully he has developed that skill far beyond what I thought he would be capable of doing.