The floodgates have opened following Connor McDavid’s two-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. After defenseman Jake Walman was signed to a seven-year extension, fellow defenseman Mattias Ekholm signed a three-year pact on October 8, just before the team’s season opener. The 35-year-old will earn $4 million annually between 2026 and 2027.
EK YES!
The #Oil squirting have signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $4 million. pic.twitter.com/pl0NzodiFB
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 8, 2025
Although injuries held him back last season, Ekholm is still a key member of the Oilers’ blue line. Since arriving in Oil Country at the 2022-23 trade deadline, he has played 165 games, recording 92 points and a plus-83 rating. He and top pairing partner Evan Bouchard formed an excellent duo, outscoring teams 149-92 (61.83% target share) at 5-on-5 over the past three regular seasons. according to Natural Stat Trick.
Ekholm may be starting to decline as he approaches his 40s, but the Oilers would have been foolish to let him test the open market. A perfect addition to Edmonton’s top four. It’s a good thing for their championship hopes that he will remain under team control through the 2028-29 season.
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